A Faireborn and Hauser Vacation
by ScarlettSlipper
Summary: After two adventurous years, two Joe families escape to the famous Burnett cabin, for a well deserved retreat. However, knowing these families, adventure does not lurk far. Written with Alison Hart-Burnett in 2008
1. Null

Disclaimer: We do not own G.I. Joe, never had and probably never will. We do not own any of the Joe characters in this story. But we do own our characters that we have created. Two of ScarlettSlipper's characters are officially copyrighted, and under no circumstances there will be permission for these characters to be used in any FF story.

Title: A FAIREBORN AND HAUSER VACATION

Authors: Scarlett Slipper and Alison Hart- Burnett.

Summary: After the adventures the two families have had, both need a well deserved retreat, however, with these Joes… do they ever get a rest? Just a short adventure, before the last chapter in the Saga, EVER AFTER will be introduced. This story takes place after, BLOODLINES 1 and BLOODLINES 2, so if you have not read those stories, please do before reading this.

Pairing : Flint/ Jaye

Duke/ Scarlett

Cayden/ Colleen

Jeffrey / Sky Dancer


	2. Chapter 1

The solitary cottage stood at the edge of a large ice covered lake, at the end of the never-ending forest landscape. It's spot was perfectly created for privacy. The land, dominated with hundred year old evergreens, pine and oak trees, belonged to the Scottish family known as the Burnetts since the pendragon King Arthur ruled the English soil. Its location was barely known and it had been said that members of the elite society had visited the cabin for centuries. Secrets dominated the stone structure, from hidden tunnels that led to a safe route, to hidden passageways escaping deadly villains and even the history itself was intriguing. It had been said that the stone house was built during the Middle Ages for Lady Devina Burnett, married to the Earl of Harp, heir to the Scottish thrown. The cabin was created for a life of privacy, for Lady Devina had been known to the Scots as a woman with a mind of her own, and a temper that could chill the very blood of one's soul. Tragedy struck the cabin, years later after Lady Devina's death, and the cottage was rebuilt, yet a mystery always resided in the cottage. Who had rebuilt it? And why? Like many high society families, the land and its only livable structure passed down from generation to generation. And presently the cabin had passed to the youngest living member of the Burnett clan, Alison Hart- Burnett. It had been also said that a curse would come to any male Burnett that owned the property, so it had been known that only the Burnett women came to own the land. And for safety purposes, Alison Hart-Burnett had modified the structure to resemble a wooden cabin.

Though the structure held over century old stories and mysteries, it remained a solitude destination to the family. Family members as well as close friends visited the two-story cabin for vacations, a place to relax and a place to rekindle a lover's spat. Once inside the cabin, with its country state décor, one could relax and enjoy the company of nature. The woods were dominated with creatures, some more dangerous than others. The lake, mostly peaceful and serene, had an endless source of fresh fish. But it was the caverns on the other side of the lake that held dangers, and were off limits to any. Not even the most skillful mountain climber would dare set foot in the caves, which had been named, Draco Caverns. A story of the caverns passed from one generation to the next, telling that deep inside the caves lived a ferocious monster that slept for over a thousand years in the deepest grotto of the caverns.

For the most part of the year, the cabin stood, dark, empty and lonely, but at the moment, laughter, happy yelps and even barking came from within the homestead. The February wind blew, muffling the loud voices from its strength, and the snow fluttered down from the dark skies.

Inside the cabin, a warm fire blazed, while two young men sat on two blue comfortable looking chairs and played a hearty game of chess on an one-of-a-kind chess table. The table tall and squared, held the most of the green and blue chess pieces upwards, while several of them lay next to the opponent's side. The two young men laughed while a Doberman came over, sniffed at the blue fallen chess pawn and gave a short growl, before walking over by the fire and lying down.

The players, one with dark brown hair and emerald eyes, while the other, blond with light blue eyes, shook their heads at the animal.

"Apollo, what's wrong?" a woman's voice came from next to the blond man, while feeding him some warm soup as his right arm held a cast, covering most of it. The young woman grinned at the animal, her long brown hair in a low ponytail and her dark brown eyes showing a golden tint from the fire's golden flames.

"I don't think he likes the Cobra Viper chess piece, Reena," commended the woman sitting on a large sofa, her reddish golden hair falling loosely around her shoulders and ending down to her waist. Her dark blue eyes shined with mischief, while she held an eight-month-old sleeping baby in her arms. A second identical baby had fallen asleep in the bassinet.

"I agree with the dog, Colleen," a man's voice replied, and the women turned to the gentleman, an older image of the dark haired player, who sat on another chair, reading a book. A glint came to his dark brown eyes, and a smile spread on his face, all the way to his beret. "Looks like you are down to three Vipers, son."

"Don't worry," Cayden, the gifted young doctor told his father. "I'll beat him."

"Yeah, sure you will," Kastor said, twin brother to Cayden's beautiful wife, Colleen.

"Like last time?" Sky Dancer replied with tease to her husband, pointing at the cast, which the young sergeant had received as a losing trophy from a rowdy game of football.

Flint chuckled at the embarrassed looking young Hauser. "Well, at least we got the doctor near by this time," he pointed out.

"You don't have to rub it in you know," Kastor grumbled.

"Spoiled sport," Cayden teased his best friend.

Sky Dancer snickered at her husband. "Open the hangar, dear," she requested in an elegant manner, while scooping another spoon full of creamy soup. "Now, we don't want your poor mother getting angry again if you don't eat, now do we?"

Colleen started giggling. "Mom will chase him with her crossbow!" she stated, rocking the little baby to sleep.

"Mom doesn't scare me," Kastor said, bravely causing Cayden to laugh.

"Who doesn't scare you?" came a female's authoritative voice right behind the young blond man, and everyone held a snicker from his tense posture.

Sky Dancer swallowed her giggle, spotting Scarlett walking into the large living room, followed by Lady Jaye.

Flint coughed and resumed his reading, while carefully watching the redhead, cross her arms and stare evenly at her son.

"Ummm...Baroness, Mom." Kastor tried to cover his comment.

Jaye acted as if she were going to fall and fell right into her husband's lap.

Watching his parents, Cayden chuckled.

At the corner of the room, two little girls had settled with coloring books, one with long scarlet locks, while the other with two chestnut ponytails. Though both girls were almost the same age, only a year apart, both were very different. It had been over a year that Eryn, daughter of Flint and Lady Jaye had been diagnosed with dwarfism. Though size did not matter for this little girl as her spirit was strong as Duke's and Scarlett's adoptive daughter, Rowan Rose.

Eryn whispered to her best friend. "Adults are weird."

Rowan nodded in agreement.

Scarlett shook her head. "And you call Baroness mom?"

Kastor gulped and looked up at his mother. "Love you, Mommy." This caused the entire room to laugh.

"I should hope so," Scarlett teased, kissing him on the cheek, then she looked at her daughter-in-law. "Did he eat?"

Sky Dancer gulped. "A little..." Her face blushed, knowing she had tattled.

"Mom, I'm to busy crushing Faireborn," Kastor said with a whine.

"How bad is our son losing?" Jaye asked Flint softly.

"We have a son?" Flint asked nonchalant, looking around. "Where?"

Colleen giggled while rocking the baby. "Who did I marry then? Tom Cruise?" She stood up from the couch and walked over to her husband.

"Hey Tom Cruise is all old and wrinkly now," Cayden defended as he wrapped his arm around his wife's waist.

Jaye giggled and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.

"I'm married to Marc Walhburg," Sky Dancer grinned, watching her husband turn to protest and she shoved the spoon of soup in his mouth. "There, it's good."

Scarlett laughed, walking over and picking up her second granddaughter, who had been stirred awake.

Eryn watched the adults with growing confusion. She walked over and stood next to her parents with a very perplexed look on her face.

"Hey, Peanut," Flint said to his little girl, while trying to tickle his non-ticklish wife. "What's wrong?"

Eryn looked at her father. "Why do you act so funny?"

Jaye looked at her husband, still sitting on his lap.

"Because its okay to act silly sometimes, honey," Flint answered his daughter truthfully. "Like that." He pointed over toward the staircase.

Everyone turned and their mouths dropped, finding one G. I. Joe leader heading down the stairs while holding a stuffed bear and only wearing a towel around his waist.

Scarlett blinked and walked toward the staircase. "Conrad, now I'm sure I packed you some clothing," she said in calmness.

Both Jeffrey and Cayden went to say something at the same moment and both of their wives smacked them behind their heads.

"Uncle Connie did Brutus eat your clothes?" Eryn asked, seeing her beloved bear in her uncle's arms.

Duke just stood there looking at his wife.

"Conrad, are you all right?" Scarlett asked, walking close to her husband while holding the baby.

"Yes, I'm fine. But my clothes are not up in our room," Duke informed her.

Eryn looked to her father. "Did Brutus eat them, Daddy?"

"Well, if he did, we will find out in a few hours," Flint joked, then rubbed his head from Jaye's slap. "Thanks, honey."

Scarlett shook her head. "Where could they be! I saw you place your suitcase in the room, along with mine." She turned to the two younger men in the room. "By any chance has Tom and Marc seen the suitcases?"

"It's my suitcase that is missing, Shana." Duke told her.

"Then why aren't you dressed if your suitcase is up there?" Jaye asked.

Both of the younger men tried to look innocent.

Scarlett turned to Duke looking complexed. "Then what is the matter?"

Colleen and Sky Dancer sent each other a look that both women knew immediately, their husbands were walking on thin ice!

Rowan walked to her father and took his hand. "Daddy, do you need help in picking out your clothes?"

"They're not my clothes," Duke said to his daughter.

"Are they Brutus's clothes?" Eryn asked.

"Conrad, I already unpacked my clothes," Scarlett informed him, getting concerned.

"They are Allie's clothes," Duke said, looking over at his son.

Kastor stood up. "Ummm...Cayden and I are going to get some more fire wood."

Cayden stood up as well, eyeing his best friend. They had to make a retreat, and fast!. "Ummm...Yeah, more firewood."

Jaye looked to her husband in shock. She had packed a few outfits that were only for her husband to see.

"Sit down!" Both Flint and Scarlett ordered at the same time, making the young men freeze in place.

"I can't believe you did that!" Colleen shook her head in dismay.

"With these two, anything is possible," Sky Dancer replied to her sister-in-law. "Jeff threw a fake scorpion in my bath this morning!"

"He didn't!" Colleen said in shock, rocking the baby to sleep.

"He most certainly did!" Sky Dancer nodded her head.

Scarlett shook her head. "Kastor, Caveman, where are Duke's clothes?" she asked, holding her temper in check.

"In the basement," Eryn answered for them.

"In the basement!" Scarlett exclaimed. Her eyes narrowed. "I'm counting to three. One..."

Cayden and Jeffrey gulped, jumped off their chairs and raced toward the old wooden door that lead to the lower level of the home, with Eryn and Rowan at their heels.

From their husbands' reactions from the second in command and counterintelligence agent, Colleen and Sky Dancer burst out laughing, getting up, and walking toward the kitchen area.

Jaye jumped off Flint's lap and raced up the stairs to grab her 'special clothing.' Before the leader of the Joe unit could uncover the classified articles inside the suitcase!

Duke and Scarlett headed for the basement door where screams and curses were coming from down the stairs.

Flint shook his head, and picked up his book. "I'm just going to sit here, like a good little warrant officer and see nothing, know nothing and hear nothing while I read my book," he mumbled to himself.


	3. Chapter 2

The wail of a baby's cry echoed in the Faireborn cabin as an worried looking warrant officer paced in the living room to the kitchen and back non-stopping. He had tried everything in his power to calm his eight-month-old granddaughter Devon Alanna, but to no avail. Her screeching echoed in his ear while he continued to sing her an old lullaby.

"Sounds like you inherited your grandmother's lungs, kiddo," Flint commented, glancing down at the red faced teary child in his arms. Devon's eyes were shut tight, not letting the dark blue eyes show, and her small tuff of auburn hair had become a disorderly mess.

Footsteps pounded on the stairs and he glanced up to find his best friend walk down them, wearing a beige sweater with the letter "C" on it, which was identical to his own dark navy sweater with the letter "D". The sweaters of torment were what they called them, given to the Joe men from a pair of giggling wives!

Duke stopped dead in his tracks, glancing at the warrant officer with the nonstop crying granddaughter in his arms. His face cast a look that clearly stated, '_Where the bloody blue blazes is everyone?'_

Flint looked up from little Devon's cries and answered the question even before being asked, "Caveman and Bunny are sleeping, thought they could use a few hours rest." He glanced down at the other baby, who cooed at her grandfather in her little baby bassinet and her dark blue eyes were bright and alert. "Imzadi and Agape are strolling through the forest, and probably wanting some private time."

Duke's eyes widened at the mentioning of _'private time.'_

"Don't worry, Con, if they don't show up in a few hours, we'll go search and rescue our MIA clan."

Duke nodded.

"My crazy Scottish woman and your Baby have gone shopping," Flint informed him.

Duke's eyebrow arched straight up, and he sent the warrant officer a puzzled expression. He glanced out the window to the foot tall snow banks.

"They called and took the private helicopter," Flint added, rocking the child in his arms, trying to stop the crying.

Duke's other eyebrow arched straight up.

"Speedy and Rosey are in their alcove on the third floor playing with Brutus and Coco. They're having a tea party," Flint explained, still pacing around the room. "Which leaves me with the twin dynamite duo here to babysit."

Devon Alanna screeched more loudly and the warrant officer face turned into panic. "Maybe I should wake up Colleen and Cayden?" he suggested, not knowing what else to do with the infant in his arms.

Caitlin Shannon tilted her little head toward her other grandfather and she too began to cry, demanding the same attention as her twin sister.

"Have you tried changing her and feeding her?" Duke asked worriedly as he picked up little Caitlin Shannon, the bigger of the two girls.

"Yes! I burp the girls too, but you know Devon." Flint looked down at the wailing baby. "She's got some of those Scottish lungs, like her grandmother, and like her father!"

"Funny, I thought she sounded like you," Duke commented as he quieted the other twin.

"Conrad, I didn't know you were in the same nursery as I was," Flint teased, still rocking the baby. "Please, honey, Grandpa Dashie will buy you anything you want! Just please stop crying!"

Devon's cries vibrated in their ears as the child continued to cry, only louder.

"I hate to wake Colly, but there's no other choice, is there?" Flint asked, his brown eyes filled with nervousness.

"Here, let me try," Duke said, placing Caitlin down back into the bassinet.

"Sure, anything!" Flint immediately replied, handing over the baby to the general.

Duke tried to calm the crying child to no avail, he too failed the mission.

"Conrad, stay here!" Flint started racing up the stairs. "I'm getting back up!" He took the stairs two by two, his heart pounding in his chest, and ran down the hallway, toward his son's and daughter-in-law's room. He slowly opened the door, peeking inside, and his mouth dropped at the sight of the young people, on the bed, under the covers, presumably one over the other. "Oh God! I'm scarred for life!"

"Dad!" Cayden cried out.

Flint heard a shocked gasp and assumed it came from Colleen, who probably shared his pink face from embarrassment. He cleared his throat and try to speak, "Umm.. ehh..."

Cayden rolled over and looked over at his father. "What is it?"

Flint finally found his lost voice. "Devon is crying and both Conrad and I can't stop it!" he calmly stated.

Colleen peeked out from the blue coverlet. "She won't stop?" she asked, looking from her father-in-law to her husband with concern and fear in her eyes.

"I'll be right down," Cayden told his father.

Flint nodded, closing the door behind him and slowly ventured back to the living room. He already could hear the baby screeching and found Duke pacing like he had done moments ago. But this time he also had company of two identically little girls dressed in pink leotards, tutus and ballet slippers, with their hair in ponytails.

"Devon is loud," Rowan commented, sitting right next to a sleeping Caitlin.

Flint looked to Duke. "Cayden and Colleen are on the way.. I...eh... disturbed their sleeping," he casually said, rubbing the back of his neck, letting the other man know what he really disturbed.

"Get...that...picture...out...of...my...head," Duke said as he gently bounced the little girl.

"Maybe she has a bewwy ache," Eryn suggested.

"We don't know, Peanut," Flint replied to his daughter, ignoring the general's features on the 'image' now in his head.

The pounding of shoes thumping down the stairs made all of them turn and see Cayden and Colleen almost fly toward them. The young medical doctor had literally worn the first thing in his sight, which apparently was his wife's black stretch pants and sweatshirt. While Colleen apparently had no alternative then to wear her husband's sweater and navy pants.

Colleen walked over to her father, carefully taking the baby in her arms, soothing her little daughter. "It's all right, Devi, Mommy is here." She cradled the baby in her arms, trying to stop the infant's cries. "Cayden, she feels a little warm! Maybe it's a fever from a new tooth coming out?"

Cayden went over and felt the infant's head. He then used a finger to feel her gums. "I don't feel anything coming in."

"Then what why won't she stop crying?" Colleen asked her husband, her own voice almost breaking in a verge of tears.

"Rosey, Eryn, will you go get my doctor bag out of my room?" Cayden asked the two little girls.

"Otay," Eryn said and started to run up the stairs.

"Wait for me!" Rowan called out, her red ponytail bouncing, following her best friend.

Flint looked worried. He started pacing in the room once again.

Colleen kissed her younger daughter on the head. "It's all right, Devi." she rocked the baby.

A bang sounded from the second floor, and a high pitched shriek followed.

Adrenaline pounded in Flint's veins, sending him up the stairs, faster than before, this time frightened for the two girls. He ran into Cayden's room only to stop dead in his tracks, finding his seven-year-old daughter besides the right wall, while the pounding of two fists came from the other side. _'Rowan!_' He concluded. '_Eryn had locked Rowan in the secret panel!_' he thought.

"Let me out!" came the frightened eight-year-old's cry from within.

He strode to the wall. "Eryn! Why did you do that?" he scolded his youngest child, aghast at her behavior for the time being. He roamed his hands on the wall until he found the wooden panel to the side and clicked the switch, releasing the trapped girl.

Rowan sprinted out of the wall, her face pale with fright, and spotted her father, who came bolting in the bedroom and wrapped her arms around him tightly, softly sniffling.

Duke held his daughter tightly trying to comfort her.

"I didn't do it," Eryn protested.

"No, you wouldn't lock Rowan in there, knowing she is afraid of the dark," Flint replied to his child. "but, you did show her the secret room, didn't you?"

"Yes," Eryn answered, looking down at the ground, avoiding his features.

"It's all right, honey," Duke said, to his little girl, stroking her hair.

Rowan started to calm down from the ordeal, holding on to her father. "The door closed by itself," her voice slowly shook, explaining what had occurred.

Flint shook his head. "I'm sorry, Rosey," he apologized to his best friend's daughter. "Eryn is sorry, too, right, Eryn?" He gave her his stern disappointed look.

"I didn't do anyfing!" Eryn exclaimed and ran out of the room.

Duke watched her run by then looked back at his best friend.

"She'll be fine, I'll have a talk with her later, she knows better than to open the secret passageways. Remind me to kill my son when I get a chance," Flint grumbled, walking over and grabbing the doctor's bag, he walked out of the bedroom, heading down the stairs.

Colleen glanced toward him, still rocking the baby in her arms, who had also calmed down a bit. "What happened?" she asked, glancing over her father-in-law's shoulder and spotting her father and adoptive sister walking down the stairs slowly.

"Eryn apparently showed one of the secret rooms in this place to Rowan, who got locked in!" Flint grumbled, displeased on his daughter's behavior. "Someone just had to show her those, didn't you?" He shook his head to his son, giving him the bag. Changing the subject, he inquired, "How is Devon?"

"I didn't show her. Mom did," Cayden told him as he took the bag. He took the baby's temperature as he checked her over. "She's got a temp of a hundred point one and her sinuses are a little full. She's got a cold." He expertly gave his baby some infants Tylenol.

"Wait till I get my hands on your mother!" Flint grunted, walking by the fireplace and sitting down on the chair.

Colleen cradled her little bundle. "My poor baby, you have a cold." She kissed the top of Devon's head.

The baby fussed for another fifteen minutes but then started to calm down as the medicine took effect.

Timidly, Eryn walked back to the room with Brutus and sat behind one of the chairs playing with her bear.

Rowan dragged her father to the couch, right next to her best friend, made him sit and then sat on his lap, huddling close, while sending a small smile to her friend, telling her in her own way all was forgiven.

"Eryn," Flint warned his daughter, crossing his arms, and slowly tapping his right foot. "What do you say?"

"Thank you," Eryn said with a grumble, glaring at her father.

"Thank you!" Flint almost shouted flabbergasted. "You shut her in the room and all you say is thank you?"

But before the little girl could reply, the back door burst open and Sky Dancer dragging her husband by the ear entered. Her features not pleased. She scowled at Jeffrey Hauser with her brown eyes shooting fireballs that could melt Frosty the Snowman.

"Cayden, I got a patient for you," Sky Dancer grumbled.

Colleen blinked at her sister-in-law. "What on earth did he do?" she asked, now holding a sleeping baby.

"He," Sky Dancer glared at her husband, "thought it would be funny to scare me out of my skin by pretending to be a bear and jumping out of the bushes!"

"Where did you kick him?" Cayden asked, standing behind his wife.

"Takes after his mother," Duke mumbled.

"Ow...ow...ow," Jeffery whined, his face showing his torment from his wife's strong hold.

As the attention had diverted to another, Eryn, tears in her eyes walked out of the room unnoticed and disappeared.

"Dad!" Colleen said in surprise, but loved seeing her brother get what he deserved.

Sky Dancer dragged the patient to the chair and pushed him down. "He may need some ice!" her non-amused tone told them.

Flint chuckled. "Well, son, aren't you happy now that you didn't become a lawyer?" This statement caused the entire room to laugh, while Cayden grumbled and headed over to his patient.


	4. Chapter 3

"Ooohhhhhh…." The wailing cry echoed in the dark bedroom, causing tingles to run down the spine. Rowan Hauser nearly bolted out of the bed, which she shared with her parents. Her blue-green eyes became wide, and she held her stuffed puppy Coco closer to her chest. She glanced to her left, spotting her mother sleeping peacefully, her arm still around her daughter's waist.

The eight-year-old turned to her father, who was loudly snoring, as usual.

"Whhhoooooooo!"

Rowan's heart pumped madly in her chest and she felt the hairs in the back of her neck rise straight up. They ghost cry came closer, right by to the four poster bed, just behind the wall. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping it would go away, and it didn't. She breathed heavily, frightened.

"Roooowaaaann.." the ghost cry wailed, making the child almost scream from the terror that ran through her heart.

Rowan slowly turned to her head to the wall, glancing at an old painting of a young woman, sitting on a red chair, from the early 1900's and she saw the eyes blink. Her heart now jumped to her throat.

"Daddy!" she whispered, her voice shaking.

Duke didn't stir and his only response was another loud snore.

Rowan shook her father on the shoulder. "Daddy, wake up! Ghost!"

"Huh, what, what, what?" Duke said as he was shook awake.

"Daddy, wake up!" Rowan continued to shake him, her eyes wide from fright.

A bump came from behind the wall, and the little girl almost screamed. She threw herself on her father's chest, shaking profoundly.

Duke instantly wrapped his arms around his daughter. "Pumpkin, what's wrong?"

"Ggg..hhh..ost," Rowan said, her voice trembling with fear. She closed her eyes shut.

"Oh honey, there's nothing here. You probably had a bad dream." Duke tried to comfort her.

Rowan looked at her father, her eyes wide with fear within. "But, Daddy, the ghost said my name! _It knew my name!" _She listened for another cry, or bump, to show him that it wasn't a dream, but nothing came, only silence.

"Oh, Baby." Duke kissed the top of her head. "I won't let anything happen to you." He pulled her close and laid her head on his chest. "I'll hold you until you fall back to sleep."

"I love you, Daddy," Rowan whispered, closing her eyes, feeling safe. In moments she was fast asleep, listening to her father's heart rhythm.

Duke listened for any more sounds, but found only silence, no ghost or goblin in sight. His eyelids felt heavy and glanced from his wife's sleeping form to his daughter's until he too fell back into sleep.

A child-like giggle came from behind the wall, moving away from the sleeping family, and toward the next door room where two other Hausers had fallen asleep.

"Ooohhhhh..." The wailing sound came once again, sending shivers down more spines.

Sky Dancer's eyes shot open, with a slight fear within them. From the tales she had heard from her best friend Colleen on the ghostly residence of Burnett Manor, she hoped that this cottage did not hold another ghost, one named Lady Devina Burnett.

"Oooohhh!"

"Jeffrey! Stop that," Sky Dancer hissed at her husband, annoyed that he tried to attempt another one of his particle jokes. She knew that he knew things like this made her blood turn to ice in seconds.

"Whemmeannt..." came from right next to her.

She turned around in the bed and found his eyes shut, his arm with the cast on the pillow and a mumbling sound came from his throat. She sighed and closed her eyes. Maybe she had imagined it.

"Reeeeennaaa..." the ghost like whisper made Sky Dancer's entire body shiver from its sound in the bedroom.

Her heart pounding, her eyes now wide, and her mouth dry, she knew this had to be some low particle joke! This time she poked her husband on his stomach. "Kastor, I mean it!"

"Mean what?" Kastor mumbled in his sleep and then started to snore again.

"Blast you, Hauser!" Sky Dancer growled, her anger rose. She pushed the covers away and got out of the bed, slipping into her Doberman slippers. She glanced down at her Doberman nightshirt to her robe, which lay on a chair nearby. She didn't bother putting it on, her blood boiled and she already felt warm.

Heading out of the bedroom, her mind set on grabbing Apollo from the outside kennel and bringing him indoors for the night. She headed down the stairs and turned toward the kitchen. Flipping the switch, her mouth dropped at the sight of the room. The entire kitchen had become one war zone! Containers were everywhere, bread slices all on the floor, spelling the word. _'I Rock.' _Milk, juice and some other liquid spread all over from the counters to the floor. A knife had stabbed a lettuce, and Sky Dancer's heart thumped madly from the sight. She gulped.

She raced out of the kitchen, up the stairs and right into the bedroom. "JEFFREY!"

Kastor sat bolt upright. "What?"

"The ghost did a disaster in the kitchen!" Sky Dancer informed him, her chest heaving up and down madly.

"Imzadi, are you sure you're feeling all right?" Kastor asked her.

Sky Dancer placed her hand on her head and shook it slowly. "I think, I... I don't know! First the ghost moans and now the mess..." She glanced at him. "If this is one of your jokes, Mr. Hauser, I'll make sure that other arm of yours has a matching cast!"

"I don't know what you are talking about. Come back to bed." Kastor patted the bed beside him.

"I'm telling you, the kitchen looks like Shipwreck's and Anchor's midnight raid!" Sky Dancer insisted, still remaining in place.

"All right," Kastor said getting out of bed wearing only pajama bottoms. "Show me."

Sky Dancer nodded, watching him come over and she took his hand, holding it tightly, a little too tightly. She opened the door and pulled him out of the room, walking carefully down the dark hallway, and down the stairs. A small thump coming from somewhere close by made her almost tumble down the stairs, taking him with her, but her balance remained steady, and finally they entered into the kitchen.

"See," she pointed to him, then giving him a look that told him,_ 'I'm not crazy!'_

"It's probably just a raccoon," Kastor told her, rolling his eyes.

"Wouldn't Apollo have barked?" Sky Dancer pointed out, her anger continued to rise. Why didn't he believe her! "His kennel is only just outside the kitchen!"

"All right, come on," Kastor told her, taking her hand.

"Are we going to wake up, Flint?" she asked, following him toward the staircase.

"No, we can show him this in the morning," Kastor said, placing a foot on the first step.

"Jeff, we can't just leave this!" Sky Dancer pointed out, giving him a disapproval look. "Maybe we should get Cayden, ask him if this happened before." Before he could protest, she ran passed him, dragging him once again up the stairs and rushed him toward the other couple's bedroom, bursting in. "Cayden!"

"What?" Cayden asked sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

Colleen sprang from the bed. "Is it the babies?" she asked, fear in her voice.

Sky Dancer gulped, feeling guilty on scaring her best friend. "No, they're sleeping." She knew her husband was giving her that look of his. "It's the kitchen!"

"Sorry I'm a doctor not a remodeler," Cayden said, lying back down.

Kastor stood back staying quiet.

"Reena, what's wrong?" Colleen walked over to her friend, her white nightgown flowing around her.

"The ghost made a huge mess in the kitchen!" Sky Dancer answered, her tone quite serious.

"Ghost?" Cayden asked, looking at her as if she had gone insane.

"Come on," Kastor whispered to Sky Dancer, trying to pull his over imagining wife away and back to their own warm bed.

"I'm telling you! First I heard the ghost, then I saw its mess!" Sky Dancer stated.

"Reena, calm down." Colleen tried to sooth her friend, touching her lower arm.

"All right I'll go check it out," Cayden said, climbing out of bed.

"We'll all go," Colleen suggested, walking over to the bed and putting on her robe. "I'm not letting you all alone if there is a ghost on the loose!"

"I'm not crazy!" Sky Dancer claimed, her hands now shaking. They all turned to her and gave her the same look that said otherwise. "Sto Dialo!"

Kastor and Caveman walked down the stairs together.

Colleen and Sky Dancer followed the two men. They entered the kitchen, finding the complete mess.

"See!" Sky Dancer pointed out. "And it's not a raccoon, Apollo would had barked!"

"What happened in here?" Colleen asked, flabbergasted at the disaster of the room. "It looks like one of Shipwreck's raids!"

"Are we sure he didn't follow us?" Kastor asked.

Cayden looked around the room in astonishment.

"I'm sure!" Both Colleen and Sky Dancer said at the same instant.

"We better start cleaning this mess," Colleen said, shaking her head in dismay. "Anyone want to get the mops and buckets?"

"Where are they?" Kastor asked.

"In the mud room," Cayden answered, while he and Kastor left to get them.

"I bet you they are going to take their little time," Colleen told Sky Dancer, shaking her head at the men.

"Oh yes, let the little women clean up," Sky Dancer concluded. "Tomorrow, we are switching the sugar with the salt for their coffee!"

Colleen laughed while talking a rag and started cleaning the mess.

"Oh gross!" Sky Dancer pointed out to a half eaten jelly sandwich on the floor. Then her quick eye caught sight of a can of SpaghettiOs by the living room coffee table. She walked over and bent to take hold of the can, but a movement caught her attention.

Standing up, her eyes widened, glancing outside the window, spotting a woman with brown hair gliding outside, wearing a white robe of some sort. The ghostly figure passed the window, moving ever so slowly.

Her scream jumped to her throat, but the darkness covered it, finding herself falling toward the can of SpaghettiOs!

At the sound of the thump, Colleen came out of the kitchen. "Reena, I heard a-" Her own eyes widened, spotting her best friend on the floor, not moving. "Reena!" She rushed to her friend's side, rolling her gently over and pushing away the dark chocolate locks from the woman's features. "Cayden!"

"What?" Cayden said as he quickly came in from the mud room. "What the hell happened?" He exclaimed as he rushed over to the women.

"I don't know," Colleen replied truthfully. "I just found her." Her dark blue eyes filled with worry. "Where's Jeff?"

"He heard something outside and is checking it out," Cayden said as he started to exam Sky Dancer by checking her eyes.

Sky Dancer slowly started to recover, her eyes opening and finding the Joe medical member above her head. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Cayden said. "What's the last thing you remember."

At this question, Sky Dancer's eyes widened. "The ghost!"

"The ghost?" Colleen repeated, looking from her best friend to her husband. "Cayden, there's a ghost?"

"Reena, I think you just got yourself all worked up and scared over this," Cayden said as he helped her sit up.

"It was just a raccoon and a possum eating from the garbage cans," Kastor said as he walked into the room, finding nothing outside. He found the scene before him and his heart jumped, spotting his wife on the floor. "Reena! What the hell happened?"

"I fainted because I saw a lady ghost pass the window," Sky Dancer admitted, her gaze shifting toward the window.

"Honey, I was just outside and all I saw were a raccoon and a possum," Kastor told her as he gently helped her up.

"The woman was wearing white!" Sky Dancer insisted, her brown eyes showing her fear.

A voice hissed from the staircase, "What are you four doing up at this hour?" Flint asked, walking down the stairs. "I heard noises, and I thought you four were some snakes!"

"Ummm...telling ghost stories," Cayden said.

Kastor pulled his love closer to him.

"Ghost stories?" Flint asked, dumbfounded. "Danny, you and Jeffrey know better then to tell ghost stories in front of Colly and Reena!" He shook his head in dismay. His children were acting odd lately. "Just look at their faces! They are white as ghosts!"

Sky Dancer shivered from the mentioning of ghosts and turned paler.

"We..we'll go to bed now," Colleen said, taking hold of her husband's hand.

Flint nodded. "Good, and no more ghosts!" He started heading back upstairs, still shaking his head and walked into the master bedroom, right to the four poster bed. He glanced at his wife, who was sleeping peacefully, unaware of anything. Sliding under the coverlets, his whole entire body shot straight up. He jumped off the mattress in a single movement and ripped the covers off his side of the bed. "What the hell?" he asked the silence, spotting a dozen sharp pointed pine cones just where he had lay. Grumbling, he tossed the pine cones off the bed, and slid once again under the covers, his face in a tense aggravation that told him, someone or something was up to no good.


	5. Chapter 4

"Come on, Caitlin!" Colleen called out, her dark blue eyes sparkling, matching the snowflakes on her light blue sweater. "You can do it!"

Sky Dancer's giggle came to everyone's ears. The competitive laughter which the pilot was famous for made both Cayden and Jeffrey rolled their eyes while continuing to play their checker game.

"Hurry, Devon!" Sky Dancer enticed the second twin, watching her crawl swifter than her sister. "Beat Caitlin's diappy tushy!"

The two babies, who were both on the other side of the room, continued to crawl toward the two women which held the stuffed toys in their hands.

"Reena!" Colleen giggled, shaking her head. "You're sounding like Spades!" She leaned her head backward against her husband's thigh.

"Hey, loser baby does the dishes tonight!" Sky Dancer smirked, starting to wave the stuffed frog up and down. "Lookie Devi! It's Kermit!"

Devon, giggled and started crawling faster than Caitlin, who in turn continued to crawl toward her mother.

"Caity! We can beat these two!" Colleen started waving the stuffed dog to her daughter.

Caitlin sent her mother a big smile and began to crawl faster.

Scarlett walked into the room and shook her head, while walking over to her son and placing a bowl of creme of mushroom soup. "Eat," she commanded in a motherly tone. She glanced at the two eight-months-olds were almost nearing close to the two women. "Baby racing again?"

"What do you mean again?" Cayden asked. "They haven't stopped."

"Mom, I'm not hungry," Kastor whined, eyeballing the bowl of soup.

"Stop whining and eat," Scarlett lightly scolded, smacking him gently on the back of his head. She turned to her daughter. "Colly..." she warned.

Colleen looked up. "Yes, Mom?" she asked, with her voice portraying total innocence which made her husband roll his eyes and she smacked him on the knee.

"How much are the wages?" Scarlett asked with the smile.

"Dishes!" Colleen answered. She turned her head toward her daughter who had now passed Devon. "Good girl, Caitly! Come to Mommy!"

Devon stopped crawling and began to look very interested at a spot on the carpet.

"Stop pulling my ponytail!" Sky Dancer cried out, turning her head around to her husband. She stuck her tongue at him.

"Serves you right for racing the twins. You guys are going to give them a complex. Devon's going to think that Mommy loves Caitlyn more and Caitlin is going to think that Aunt Reena likes Devon more," Kastor commented, then obediently took a sip of soup.

Cayden just shook his head and made his move on the checker board.

Sky Dancer glared at her husband. "_If_ you have not noticed as you two are too busy betting on who is going to use the private room for special moments," Which caused Jeffrey to choke on his soup and Scarlett to smack her forehead while Colleen started hitting her head on Cayden's thigh, roaring with laughter, while holding on to her stomach. "We've been switching the twins back and forth! So they each get equal time with Mommy and Aunt Reena!"

"Well it seems awful funny that the last three races you have had the same baby for each race," Cayden pointed out.

"Thanks, man," Kastor said, glowing that at least someone was on his side.

Colleen hit her husband on his knee with her fist. "Look who is talking you Devon-holic!"

Baby Caitlin crawled near her mother, aiming for the stuffed dog.

"Devon! Come!" Sky Dancer commanded like a dog handler, causing Scarlett to burst out laughing.

Baby Devon looked up, smiled at the pilot and started crawling very quickly.

Cayden rubbed his leg from his wife's aim. "That's because you always have Caitlin."

Colleen grinned, picking up her daughter. "Yes, I do!" She kissed Caitlin on the cheek. "Right, darling?" she asked the baby while showing the puppy.

Sky Dancer groaned. "Looks like we got dishes tonight," she informed her husband, leaning against his thigh. She picked up Devon, holding her close, letting the baby nuzzle against her shoulder.

Cayden shook his head at his wife. "You need to snuggle Devon too," he said a little grouchily.

Kastor looked over at him a little wide eyed.

"I don't play favorites, Cayden!" Colleen snapped, her dark blue eyes turning ice cold.

Scarlett glanced from one young person to the next, then quickly headed out of the room.

"Yeah, whatever," Cayden said, then turned back to the game.

Kastor just shook his head.

"What does _that_ mean?" Colleen hissed at him. She stood up, towering over him, her reddish-blond hair draping down her back. She held the baby in her arms, cradling her slowly.

Sky Dancer gulped, shivering slightly from the coldness that dominated the room and cuddled closer to her husband's leg. Soon, she knew there was going to be a fire in the room, one with the same last name, Faireborn.

Cayden didn't look at her but spoke as he made his checkers move. "Well let's see it's always Caitlin this and Caitlin that and when they are both crying Caitlin is the first one you pick up. You always tell me to get Devon while you go pick up Caitlin."

"Honey, I ask you to pick up Devon because she absolutely adores you. She sees me all the time, but she constantly looks for you when you are not home," Colleen told him gently. "And besides, when she cries and you pick her up, she immediately stops."

Cayden looked up at his wife. "You're right. I'm sorry, honey." His eyes had dark circles under them.

Colleen smiled and bent over, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Besides," she whispered close to his face, her blue eyes linking with his green ones. "then I get the cute picture moments, like that one." She turned and pointed to Sky Dancer and Baby Devon, who both had fallen asleep.

Cayden smiled. He pulled his wife down on his lap.

"Mom, bring the camera," Kastor called out, looking down at his wife and sleeping niece.

"All ready on it," Scarlett whispered, walking closer to the sleeping duo. She bent down and took a picture. She placed the camera on the checkers board and gently took the sleeping baby from Sky Dancer's arms, while the pilot continued to sleep. Her hand brushed the younger woman's forehead and a frown developed on her face. "She feels a little warm."

At this, Kastor looked to Cayden worriedly.

Cayden sighed. "I'm on it."

Colleen kissed him on the cheek. "You know, Doctor Faireborn, you are the most handsome, smartest, best, loving, caring Joe medic I know." She leaned closer for only him to hear. "And I'm going to pay what I owe you tonight in the secret room." She stood up from his lap, holding a now sleeping twin.

Cayden smiled. "I'm going to hold you too it." He left to go get his medical bag.

Colleen watched him walk up the stairs, shaking slightly her head. She kissed the side of her daughter's head and sat down in his chair. Her eyes traveled to the checkers board and she moved one of Cayden's pieces. "King me!" She smiled at her brother's appalled look.

"Colleen?" Scarlett asked, sitting down on the couch, holding the other sleeping baby. "Is Cayden getting enough sleep?"

"Sort of, Mom," Colleen answered, her eyes turning into concern. "I know both Doc and Dad told him to rest, but he's hasn't been sleeping much lately."

Scarlett frowned again, nodding with understanding. "The twins?"

"Yes, I try not to wake him when they start crying, but you know Cayden. He doesn't want me to do everything. He stays up with the girls until they both have fallen asleep." Colleen glanced up the staircase, and saw her father and her little sister coming downstairs.

"I know, your father did the same thing when both you and Jeffrey were babies." Scarlett smiled at her husband and held a giggle discovering that he was wearing one of her dark blue sweaters with small roses on them.

"Mom! Daddy won't stay in bed like you ordered him too!" Rowan tattled on her father, crossing her arms and giving him the Scarlett no nonsense look.

"I don't want to spend my entire vacation in bed," Duke protested.

"So, General Hauser, you think you feel fine?" Scarlett asked, pointing to his choice of attire.

Duke looked down and let out a groan, followed by a sneeze.

"Is Reenie sick too?" Rowan asked, looking at her sister-in-law while her brother stroked his wife's hair.

"Maybe, no thanks to your father's arctic mission!" Scarlett smirked, then quickly added before bullets hit the walls, "Rowan, can you get Eryn for lunch?"

"Sure!" Rowan raced up the stairs, and rushed to the third floor. She glanced up the wooden ladder, listening to the noise from above.

Eryn was hiding in her alcove playing by herself. She looked sad.

"Hi," Rowan greeted her best friend, while she climbed the rest of the ladder.

"Hi," Eryn said not taking her eyes off the doll and the bear in front of her.

Rowan walked over and slowly sat on the fourth chair at the tea party. "Mum told me to come and get you for lunch."

"I not hungry," Eryn said as she handed out fake sandwiches to those at the table.

"Mum made your favorite, tomato soup," Rowan persisted at the seven-year-old. "And we can dunk the little cheese crackers in it too!"

Eryn shook her head.

Rowan sighed, standing up. "All right, I'll tell Mum you don't want to eat." She started walking toward the ladder, and turned her head at the little girl. "I guess you also don't want to help Cayden with Reenie."

"What's wrong wiff Reenie?" Eryn asked, her interest perked.

"I don't know, her eyes were closed," Rowan answered. "I'm taking care of my Dad, you could take care of Reenie!"

Eryn looked down. "Daddy, won't wet me."

"Why not?" Rowan frowned. "He knows you love Reenie. She helped you train with Lady."

"He say I do nuffin today," Eryn said softly.

"Punishment?" Rowan asked gently. Her frown deepened, remembering how Flint had scolded Eryn. "Maybe he'll change his mind. We can do the crocodile tears. He never says no to that!"

Eryn shook her head. "I told him I do nuffin but he no believe me."

"Maybe we can tell him together," Rowan said with a smile. She extended her hand. "Come on. It's not fun without you downstairs."

Eryn sighed but got up and went with her little friend.

Rowan helped Eryn climb down the ladder and together they walked down the hallway, spotting Cayden rushing down the stairs. They looked at each other and followed the Joe medic.

Listening to the footsteps on the stairs, Scarlett glanced up from the couch, spotting the girls. She signaled them to come over to the couch, where she, Duke and Baby Devon were sitting.

"I think the ghost did a number on Reena," Colleen commented, walking back and forth while holding a sleeping baby.

Rowan huddled closer to her father at the mentioning of the ghost. She gulped and hoped that the ghost wouldn't come back into their room tonight.

"Colleen!" Scarlett scolded, watching her son-in-law walk over to his patient.

"That's enough, Colleen," Duke warned as he noticed his youngest getting more scared.

Cayden pulled out his stethoscope out of his bag and began his examination, careful not to wake his patient up.

Eryn sat at the other end of the couch away from everybody.

"I'm sorry," Colleen apologized. She glanced over at her husband and her best friend while her brother continued to stroke his wife's hair. "How is she, Cay?"

Before Cayden could reply, Sky Dancer's eyes slowly opened, spotting him close to where she sat. "What's going on? Don't tell me I fainted again!" she stated, her brown eyes turning frightened.

"You've got a slight fever. You've caught Uncle Conrad's cold," Cayden told her.

Kastor continued to stroke her head.

Duke leaned back against the back of the couch and pulled his youngest child close.

Eryn curled up in a little ball at the other end of the couch.

"Dad, you really need to stop sharing your germs!" Rowan clearly stated, snuggling closer. "But I don't mind.

Scarlett snickered toward her husband and child. "All right, I think everyone in here in a bowl of soup!" She stood up, heading for the kitchen when a commotion from the top of the stairs caused everyone to look up.

"Gang way! Move it, Shana!" Flint raced down the stairs, wearing only a towel over his lower area. "Mad Scot coming!"

Scarlett got out of the way, just when the warrant officer raced into the living room, searching for a place to hide.

"Dash, what in the sam hill did you do this time?" Duke asked then sneezed.

"Where is he?" Jaye demanded, wearing only her robe.

Colleen, Sky Dancer, and Scarlett glanced up the stairs seeing Jaye storming down them with fury in her features.

Flint gulped. "I just told her gray looked good on her and she went to kill me!" He glanced to his right, and dived behind the chair.

Jaye growled in anger, "Those are not grays! They are highlights!"

Cayden tried really hard not to laugh.

"So you are coloring gray on your head?" Flint asked dumbfounded from behind the chair, then ducked from the incoming missile that was a pillow.

That caused everyone to laugh.

"Dash, you should quit while you are ahead," Scarlett told the warrant officer as she stood up. "Now, before you two catch a cold, why don't you go upstairs, dress, come down for lunch and then we can take the girls out to play in the snow."

Sky Dancer stood up from the floor, and sat on her husband's lap, snuggling close, leaning her head on his chest. "We can hitch Apollo to pull the girls with the sled," she recommended.

"Sorry Reena, but you and Uncle Conrad cannot go out and play," Cayden told her.

Jaye went over and grabbed her husband by the ear and led him upstairs all the while cursing him in Gaelic.

"Ow.. ow!" Flint could only say being dragged.

"But.. but..." Sky Dancer went to protest.

"No buts. I don't want you two getting pneumonia on me," Cayden said.

"I agree with Cayden," Kastor added.

Duke groaned.

"Don't even think about it, Conrad!" Scarlett scolded, patting him on his hand. "Now, we don't want the elite team's leader getting all sick do we?"

"Cayden?" Sky Dancer asked, ignoring her husband's disapproval look. "Can you do me a huge favor?"

"What's that?" Cayden asked.

"When you go outside, can you make sure to shove down as much as possible snow down my husband's pants?" Sky Dancer requested with a serious flare.

Rowan started giggling.

"Reena!" Kastor exclaimed.

"Ummm...why?" Cayden asked.

"So he can get chilly," Sky Dancer smirked, kissed her husband quickly and jumped off his lap before he could counter what she had said. She raced out of the room, heading for the kitchen to help set up for lunch.

"What is going on with her?" Scarlett asked, glancing at the flopping brown ponytail whirling around in the kitchen back and forth.

"I don't know. She's been acting funny lately," Kastor said as he watched his wife.

"It's probably the cold," Cayden offered an explanation for the pilot's behavior.

"I'm going to go upstairs and change my shirt," Duke said nasally.

Scarlett padded him on the hand again. "Do you need help with picking out your clothes?" She kissed his reddish cheek, then looked at the two younger versions of the Joe men. "It could also be from her constant missions no thanks to a handsome looking general, who will remain nameless as I would like to keep my ponytail."

"Hey! I backed down sending her," Duke defended as he slowly made his way up the stairs.

"Good," Scarlett smiled at him, recalling that battle. She still wondered why her husband and her daughter-in-law sometimes acted apart from each other while they both had been brought together because of one mission, that one mission that has started it all for them a few years ago. She hoped time would get them to work out their differences. She took hold of Rowan's and Eryn's hand and guided them to the kitchen.

Cayden and Kastor gave each other a quiz able look before following the redhead and the girls.

"Allie! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to call your hair a dry desert!" Flint cried out from the top of the stairs, rushing down them and into the kitchen.

Jaye, with a menacing look in her eyes raced after her husband, grabbed the salad bowl from Sky Dancer's hands and crashed it down on the warrant officer's head.

"I see stars..." Flint's voice trailed as he collapsed on the floor.

"You'll be seeing more than that when I'm through with you, Dashiell Faireborn!" Jaye vowed.

Eryn watched her parents with an odd fascination.

Cayden shook his head.

Colleen walked in the kitchen and glanced down at her father-in-law. "Another Joe moment," she murmured. "I put the twins in the downstairs crib." She walked to the closet and grabbed a broom to sweep the salad.

Soon, the kitchen had become a chattering box of voice and clanking of spoons to dishes and when the Joe leader entered wearing his green sweater but his wife's tight exercising sweatpants it became a room full of laughter.

The soup was gone, the dishes were done and all the Faireborn and Hausers with the exception of Duke and Sky Dancer who both gave the others angry glares for not being able to participate in the winter festivities.

After an hour, Sky Dancer watched from the window with a warm mug of hot chocolate in her hands at the snowball fight of men vs. women and from her point of view, the men were losing. She almost choked on her hot drink as she watched Cayden shove snow down Jeffrey's pants and Scarlett with Jaye laughing at the pair. She was glad that she had wrapped her husband's broken wrist with a bag to protect it from becoming dampened.

A sneeze came from her right and she turned toward it, spotting her father-in-law sitting on the couch, looking at the baby monitor. It felt uncomfortable being with him, alone, just as it always did when it was the two of them, which rarely happened but once it did, the uneasiness could be felt in the room.

"Would you like a tissue?" she politely asked, not spotting any tissue box near him.

"Yes, please," Duke said in a congestive tone. He was miserable and it showed.

Sky Dancer nodded and headed toward the kitchen, grabbing the tissue box, but also snagged a tea bag from the cabinet and poured some hot water in a mug. She recalled how he exactly liked it from the many times she had watched Colleen or Scarlett. She added the two drops of honey and the extra creme and brought the offered tea to him. "This will hopefully make you feel better."

"Thank you, Reena," Duke said and gave her a genuine smile.

"You're welcome," Sky Dancer returned the smile. "I hope it's not too hot. I know you don't like it tongue burning." She walked over to the crib, glancing down at the sleeping twins. A smile spread on her face, watching the two sleeping babies.

"They're precious, aren't they?" Duke asked from his spot on the couch.

She nodded while slowly reaching her hand to Caitlin's head and stroking it gently. "Very." She giggled softly. "Especially when they are not crying." Her heart pounded, hoping it didn't come out the way she intended. "I don't mind it. Jeff on the other hand covers his ears and runs out of the suite." She shook her head.

Duke chuckled. "That sounds like my boy."

"Yes, especially when the crying is all his fault for trying to scare me or Colly," Sky Dancer stated.

"He gets that from his Mother," Duke commented. "He's always tried scaring people."

Sky Dancer took a sip of her hot chocolate. She walked away from the crib and once again looked out the window. She spotted Kastor now trying to scare Rowan and Eryn from behind a bush and then she saw his mother yelling at him for making them scream from fear. "One day someone is going to turn the tables on him."

"I hope I'm there to see it," Duke chuckled.

Suddenly, a wall of white hit the window causing Sky Dancer to step backward and almost shriek. Laughter followed the snow attack from the men outside.

"Wait till I get my hands on them!" Sky Dancer decreed, her brown eyes turning red with anger. "They'll wish they had Beach Head's Special Pig P.T. instead!"

"You really want to get even with them?" Duke asked, sitting up.

Sky Dancer turned to face her commanding officer. "What do you have in mind, sir?"

Duke smirked and told her his plan.

"Brilliant, sir!" Sky Dancer couldn't help but giggle.

They quickly set off for the kitchen and grabbed the three layer chocolate cake which Scarlett had made for after dinner. Duke rigged the cake above the backdoor, ready for a certain someone to walk inside. With an evil chuckle, they spread out and rigged the rest of the trap for the victims. Sky Dancer hooked over the doorway another surprise for two young Joe men. After everything was set, they gave each other a salute.

Sky Dancer checked the twins but was glad that both babies were still asleep and then went to Duke, who was sitting on the couch, with a childish grin in his features. "You've been waiting for revenge for a long time? Huh?"

"Oh yeah!" Duke said with a smirk. "I can't wait for them to come inside."

Just as he spoke those words, the back door creaked opened and a snow covered redhead walked inside. A thump followed the scream and then the words which came music to his ears.

"Conrad Hauser!" Scarlett's fuming voice echoed in the cabin.

Sky Dancer and Duke raced to the kitchen, and burst into laughter at the angry looking Scarlett who had now a chocolate cake on her head.

"What were you thinking! Where you both thinking! How childish can you two be!" Scarlett yelled at them. "Look at me! I'm covered with chocolate frosting and sprinkles! What do you two have to say for yourselves!"

Sky Dancer swallowed hard and took two steps back behind her fearless leader. Her mother-in-law was angry and not amused. Perfect!

"It worked," Duke said with a smirk.

"It worked!" Scarlett shouted, her voice now floating out of the still open door. "That's all you can say, it worked!" She slowly stood up and took a step forward to strangle him but from her movement, parts of the cake fell to the floor, which caused her to fall on her back. She shook her head. "You are both going to be punished for decades!"

Duke walked over and looked down at her. "Paybacks."

"Just wait till I get my hands on you, Hauser!" Scarlett screeched trying to stand up from the slippery floor.

Flint rushed into the kitchen. "What the- heeeeeell!" He slid on a banana peel and landed on a mountain of whipped cream. "What the hell!"

Sky Dancer started laughing at the warrant officer and counterintelligence agent. She leaned against the wall to support herself from falling down.

"Reena!" Flint cried out in shock, knowing that this had been her handiwork. "How could you!"

"I-I'm -" Sky Dancer couldn't finish her words as laughter dominated her throat.

"Oh, that was great!" Duke laughed just as the two younger men walked through the door.

"Conrad!" Flint scolded at his best friend. "I'm going to-" His words were cut off by surprised yells. He turned his head and watched his son and his best friend get covered with a white sheet, which smelled like honey and potpourri!

Sky Dancer held on to her stomach, watching her husband try to escape the trap. "Honey, need help with that?" she asked, trying to control her laughter but couldn't.

Jaye walked in behind them. She looked at all the chaos and then to the two culprits. "Oh this is great." She laughed as she walked past them all with nothing happening to her.

Both pranksters were enjoying their revenge tremendously.

"Oh, laugh it up!" Flint mumbled trying to stand up but only to fall down again.

"Would you like some help Mr. I'm sleeping on the floor tonight?" Jaye asked looking down at him.

Duke moved over to stand next to Sky Dancer, leaning against the wall next to her. "Enjoying the show?"

"Yes, only we forgot one thing," Sky Dancer giggled. "To record everything!"

"Oh hell no!" Flint and Scarlett yelled, both trying to stand up. They grabbed each others hands and slowly hoisted each other to fully stand.

"Why not?" Duke asked as the two younger men still kept trying to get out of their predicament. "You would have done it!"

Flint bent down and grabbed a handful of whipped cream. "Yes, we would!" He smashed the cream on Duke's face.

Scarlett shook her head and walked over to her son and son-in-law. "Both of you stop moving so I can get this thing off!" she commanded, grabbing the white sheet and releasing the two men.

They were sticky with the honey. "Thanks, Honey," Kastor said to his wife.

Cayden just grumbled and headed for the stairs.

Duke licked the whipped cream off his lips. "Mmmm...yummy."

Sky Dancer stayed close to her father-in-law, for protection purposes. "You're welcome, Dear," she said casually.

"What on Earth?" Colleen gapped, coming inside the warm kitchen, followed by the two little girls. "What happened?" She glanced around, her face in pure shock.

"It seems the trickster torch has been passed to another," Scarlett pointed to the two culprits. "And they are going to love their prize, first by baking another cake!"

"Mom, please don't make Dad bake a cake. We want to eat it," Kastor said seriously.

Cayden could be heard grumbling on his way up the stairs.

The little girls entered the kitchen last, both with wide eyes, staring at the scene.

Eryn looked around and looked as if she were going to cry. "I did not do it. I pwromice," she said and took off out of the room as fast as she could.

Rowan raced after Eryn. "I didn't do it either!"

Scarlett walked over to the sink and grabbed a towel. "Oh, they are baking all right and then they get to eat it!"

"I'll get the mop, Mom," Colleen said, heading for the closet but when she opened it, she let out a high pitched shriek at the dangling evil plastic thing head bouncing on hers. "DAD! REENA!"

Sky Dancer laughed hard, trying to control it. She held on to her stomach with one hand and the other one of the kitchen chairs.

Duke leaned against Sky Dancer as he too laughed hard.

"Sure, you two have a good laugh," Flint mumbled, standing next to his wife.

Jaye sat down in a chair then immediately jumped up screaming in terror.

"Allie, what's wrong?" Flint asked, touching her arm gently.

All she could do was point to the chair and scream.

"What in the world?" Scarlett asked, her eyes turning wide, spotting the thin looking creature.

"It's...it's..." Colleen went to say but gulped.

"It's a snake!" Flint stated in amazement. He took two steps and yanked the chair, making the creature fall to the kitchen's floor, not moving. "It's not alive." He frowned at the Joe leader and his partner in crime. "I swear! I'm going to give both of you KP Duty for life!"

Jaye went over and started to smack Duke in the chest.

"Ow, ow, ow..." Duke cried out.

"All right, Allie," Flint walked over and took hold of his wife's arms, pulling her away. "I think he had enough."

"Oh, wait till tonight, he'll get what's coming to him!" Scarlett decreed, continuing to clean the mess in the kitchen.

Sky Dancer gulped. Maybe they had crossed the line, did they? Her head whirled for a moment and she found herself leaning against Duke for support as the kitchen moved back and forth in her eyes. She closed them, feeling sick to her stomach for one split second.

Duke put a supportive arm around her. "You all right, Reena?"

"I think so," Sky Dancer answered in a small voice. "I just got dizzy for a moment."

Flint looked concerned. "Do you want some juice?" he asked, heading already for the fridge.

"Go sit down," Jaye ordered.

Duke led the pilot to a chair.

Kastor walked over to her worriedly.

"I guess, I laughed too hard," Sky Dancer said, glancing at her husband with a weary smile.

Scarlett shook her head, glancing at Flint who had started taking out the orange juice. "Reena, just relax for a moment." She grabbed the mop from a worried looking Colleen then turned to her husband and it handed to him. "You, General Hauser have some KP Duty, the entire Kitchen."

"All right, all right!" Duke said and started cleaning.

"How about after the cleaning, you can make the beds?" Flint chuckled, handing over the orange juice to the pilot. "And you know, I think the gutters need cleaning and there's wood to be cut..."

Everyone laughed at the mumbling Joe leader who vowed revenge.


	6. Chapter 5

Scarlett's face had turned red as her hair. She could not believe it! Whoever did it was going to be in more trouble than Cobra Commander asking for a retirement check! She let out an aggravated sound, her vocal chords vibrating from it. She grabbed the mop and headed towards the staircase. Whoever did it was probably already snickering and probably asleep. Well, that would change momentarily.

"EVERYONE DOWNSTAIRS NOW!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, making Apollo whimper from it and curl up in a ball in the corner of the room. She glanced at the Doberman and then back at the empty staircase. No sounds of feet running, nothing.

"Well, we'll see about this!" she said mostly to herself than to the dog, and stormed up the stairs toward the bedrooms. She started banging on the doors with her fist. "UP, UP, UP!" she commanded. Her blue slippers and matching robe made her look more of a redheaded storm coming barring down.

A door opened at the end of the hallway and a groggily looking Flint came out, wearing his flannel pajamas. "Shana?" he asked, his eyes still in a sleepy state. "What's wrong?"

"Dash, get Allie up please. I want everyone downstairs now!" Scarlett stated, her voice trying to keep her composer. She entered her own bedroom where she found her husband sleeping with his arms protectively around his younger daughter. She didn't want to wake Rowan, but if she was part of the conspiracy, she had to find out.

"Conrad!" her tone was firm. "Get up."

Duke opened his eyes and sleepily looked at his wife. "Shana..." He said as he sat up careful not to waken Rowan. "What's the matter? Is it the babies?"

"No," Scarlett answered, her lips in a tight thin line. "Just get up please." She looked down at her redheaded daughter. "Wake up Rowan too." She turned and left the bedroom and went across the hall to her daughter's. She swung the door open. "UP!"

"What?" Cayden said as he shot up to a sitting position from a deep sleep. He still had dark circles under his eyes. "Someone sick?"

"Hmmm?" Colleen mumbled from under the thick blanket. "What.."

Scarlett narrowed her eyes. "Both of you, get dressed and downstairs on the double!" She didn't wait for a reply but marched on down the hall and into the last bedroom where her son and his wife slept. Bursting in, she found the couple sleeping slightly away from each other, and Icicle in the middle. "Get up!"

Sky Dancer bolted straight up. Her eyes wide with fear. "GHOST!" she screamed, clutching her chest.

"What ghost?" Kastor sleepily asked.

"There's no ghost now but I guarantee one in a few minutes!" Scarlett stated from the doorway. "Now get dressed and get downstairs ASAP!" She slammed the door closed and headed for the third floor. She climbed the ladder and looked into the alcove. She spotted Eryn sleeping with Brutus in her bed. Slowly she walked over and gently stroked the child's long brown hair. "Eryn, honey, can you wake up for Nana?"

Eryn's eyes blinked for a few seconds and then looked at Scarlett.

"Come on, Speedy," Scarlett said softly, picking up the seven year old, Brutus is tow She climbed down the ladder and walked down the hallway, listening to the grumbling voices coming from within the bedrooms. Well, after what she had discovered that morning, grumbling won't be the only thing they had to complain about. She walked down the stairs and into the living room and waited for them.

Eryn had her arms wrapped around Scarlett's neck and her face buried in her hair.

Duke came downstairs first with Rowan in his arms.

Flint followed with his arm over his really looking grumpy wife. "You have my permission to kill Shana later."

Cayden and Colleen nodded in agreement, coming down the stairs, carrying the twins.

Kastor yawned while holding his wife, who still looked a little shaken up.

They all gathered in the living room, fully dressed in sweaters and ski pants.

Scarlett started pacing. Her face remained the color of her hair. "I want these pranks to stop as of now!"

"What pranks?" Jaye and Duke asked at the same time.

"Mom, Reena and I have been in bed all night. Trust me," Kastor said, his cheeks turning red.

Cayden started to grumble something that couldn't be deciphered.

"Shana, no intent like sounding like your husband, but what the bloody blue blazes are you talking about?" Flint asked, holding close Jaye, so she didn't have an Irish breakfast.

Colleen wrapped her free arm around her husband, rubbing gently his back.

Sky Dancer leaned against Kastor, shivering from the thought of prank Scarlett had claimed. Her mouth went dry.

Scarlett motioned for them to follow her and she led them to the kitchen, which for the second time had become a disaster. Pots, pans, containers, liquid, food of all sorts lay everywhere. She turned to them. "That is what I'm talking about! Who did it?"

Flint's jaw fell down. "What..how?" he blinked at the mess in the usually orderly kitchen. "I came downstairs around 0100 hours, but everything was fine. No mess!" He looked at the counterintelligence agent. "Honest Shana, it wasn't me!"

Rowan coward in her father's arms. "I..I know who it was," she said in a small faint scared voice.

Eryn squirmed out of Scarlett's arms and stood on the floor as everyone looked at Rowan.

"Who was it, Honey?" Duke asked his daughter.

"It was the ghost!" Rowan answered timidly, shaking her in father's arms.

Sky Dancer turned pale and swallowed hard. She had heard the specter the night before again!

Eryn wrapped her arms around one of Scarlett's legs and held tightly.

"What are you guys talking about? There are no ghosts here," Jaye said, shaking her head.

Duke rubbed his daughter's back.

"Reena..." Kastor said as he held onto his wife.

Devon started to fuss and Cayden tried to soothe her.

"I'm with Rowan on this one," Sky Dancer said, "I heard the ghost too and I also saw it!"

Colleen blinked. "You heard it again?"

Scarlett looked from one woman to the other. "Come again?"

Sky Dancer nodded. "I heard calling my name again." She shivered slightly. "Jeffrey was asleep when the thing cried out my name."

Flint's mouth stayed opened and nothing came out.

"Oh, come on," Jaye groaned. "Someone was playing a joke on you or something."

"If it indeed is a joke, heads will roll!" Sky Dancer stated, not amused at anybody believing her.

Rowan huddled closer to her father, wrapping her arms as tightly as she could. "But I heard the ghost call my name too!"

Now, Eryn hugged Scarlett's legs tighter.

Devon was now crying and that made Cayden even more unhappy.

"You heard it too?" Flint asked, finally finding his lost voice. "Allie, is there something you haven't told us, like maybe a relative that has lived here for over two hundred years?"

"There's never been any sightings here," Jaye told them.

"I'm not crazy!" Sky Dancer persisted. But she stopped talking, knowing that both of the little girls looked frightened. She leaned against her husband, feeling even sicker in her stomach.

Colleen gave her best friend a reassuring smile before walking over to her crying baby. "Here, I'll take Devon for a while." They switched the twins and Colleen started pacing in the kitchen, talking soothingly to her baby daughter.

Scarlett walked over and put an arm on Sky Dancer's shoulder. "I believe you did hear and see something, Reena. Trust me on this one."

Sky Dancer nodded. A shiver went down her spine, recalling the image at the window from the night before.

"I don't want the ghost to eat me!" Rowan cried, burying her face in Duke's neck.

"The ghost only eat marshymellows I fink, Rosey," Eryn told her best friend.

Jaye smiled at her little girl.

Duke rubbed Rowan's back more and tried to soothe her.

Kastor pulled his wife into a hug.

"Yummm.. marshmallows. I'm hungry!" Flint stated, rubbing his belly which growled and everyone burst out laughing.

"All right, since someone's tummy is demanding food, why don't we clean up this mess and make a big hug breakfast?" Scarlett suggested to change the mood. "But I want to make this clear, anyone does this again, tomorrow you have no cook!"

They all gulped and nodded. If Scarlett didn't cook, then the cooking would go to Jaye and none wanted to eat anything Jaye conjured!

"We have Reena," Colleen giggled, walking over to her mother and kissing her on the cheek. "But you all have to make that big breakfast without me, the girls and my sleeping husband." She turned and smiled at Cayden who was leaning against the wall, holding a sleeping Caitlin in his arms, while his own eyes were closed and a snore escaped.

Flint looked over to his son. "He really looks wiped out!" He shook his head. "Colly, take him upstairs and tell him he's not allowed to leave his bedroom until he has slept twelve hours."

Colleen yawned. "Yes, sir," She went next to her husband and touched his cheek. "Cayden?"

"What?" Cayden said as he jolted awake.

Jaye looked at her son worriedly.

"You have a new patient, and his name is Bed." Colleen kissed him on the cheek, took his arm and led him out of the kitchen. "Goodnight-I mean good morning!"

"I'll bring some food for you both when you rested," Scarlett said, watching them leave. She then turned to all of them. "All right, cleaning time!"

They all groaned, whined and grumbled, but started cleaning up the kitchen disaster. Several hours later, the kitchen was spotless, their bellies were full and they all looked like about to fall asleep.

Rowan had settled on her father's lap and no matter what, she wouldn't budge.

"Rosey, want to build a snowman?" Flint tried to get the little girl to relax.

Rowan shook her head, and glanced over to Eryn who kept following Scarlett around the kitchen, cleaning up.

"Dash, why don't you go ask Eryn?" Jaye asked, she had noticed the past couple of days Eryn had been blatantly avoiding her father.

"What? You think building snowmen only with two is fun?" Flint smirked, standing up from the table and walking over to Scarlett and Eryn, who were washing and drying the dishes. "Hey Peanut, how about you, Rosey and I go and make ourselves a few good Joe snowmen?"

Eryn looked down as she stood by Scarlett. "But you say I do nufin' today."

"I know, but I think this can be all right, because I'm asking you do to it with me," Flint said, smiling at his daughter.

Scarlett gently pulled on one of Eryn's ponytails and nodded her 'go on' for the little girl.

Eryn nodded. "Otay."

"Otay!" Flint agreed, then he whispered in Eryn's ear. "Got any idea how to unstick Rowan from Uncle Connie's lap?" He gestured his head toward Rowan, who clung to Duke like a sprinkle to an ice cream.

Eryn walked over to her. "Rosey, pwease com pway wif me."

"Go on, sweetie. It's all right," Duke told his little girl gently.

Rowan glanced at her father and shook her head slowly, then rested it on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Rowan, want to see the bunny hole Apollo found yesterday?" Sky Dancer asked, ignoring Scarlett's _'Young lady, you go out in this after your fever and you're gonna get it from me._' look.

"Rabbits!" Flint said in excitement. "You mean Bugs Bunny is out in my backyard!"

"If Rosey don' go. I don' go," Eryn said.

Rowan looked from her best friend to her father. "Can you come too?" she asked softly. She touched his forehead to see if there was any fever.

Duke looked to Scarlett to see what she said and saw her shake her head with an no. "I'm afraid Mommy won't let me."

"How about Jeffrey goes with you, Rowan?" Sky Dancer suggested, squeezing her husband's hand. "But you all need to be careful not to get his cast wet."

Rowan looked at her brother. "Jeffrey, can you come?" She looked at him with the puppy dog eyes.

Flint snickered and Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Well, gee, I don't know..." Kastor said and made a show of pondering it.

Jaye chuckled.

Duke rolled his eyes.

"Pleeease!" Rowan plead. Ske kissed her father on the cheek, jumped down from his lap, walked around the table to her brother and carefully climbed on his lap. "I promise I won't get your cast wet!"

"Oh, Jeffrey," Sky Dancer smiled at her husband. "How can you say no to that cute face?"

"Oh, all right. Kastor answered and kissed his little sister's forehead.

"Thanks, Jeff!" Rowan smiled, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tight.

"Allie, want to come out and play, or are you staying indoors with Shana, Connie and Reena and quilting?" Flint grinned, then raced out of the way of her incoming hand.

"I'm going to stay in here where it's nice and warm," Jaye told him and stuck out her tongue.

"Great! Then you can have a nice warm tub for me when I come in all frost bitten!" Flint grinned with a wink. Everyone groaned at the warrant officer's humor.

"Let's get your coats, mittens and hats on," Sky Dancer pointed out, standing up from her seat and started heading for the coat closet. She took them out and handed them to the girls.

"Jeffrey, make sure you don't get your cast wet," Scarlett informed him. "You know Cayden will shoot you out of the cannon if he has to redo it, again."

"I know...I know," Kastor said, rolling his eyes.

Eryn was putting on her own stuff and she was putting it all on backwards.

Scarlett shook her head and continued to clean the kitchen.

"Eryn, honey, need help with that?" Flint asked his daughter, watching her now look more agitated trying to put on her jacket.

"It won't fit. I fink I growed," Eryn said in frustration even though the truth was she was still small as ever.

Flint grinned. "Maybe you did!" He took the jacket in his hands and helped her out of it, then helped her put on the coat correctly. He buttoned the buttons and tied the scarf around her neck. "There you go!"

Sky Dancer smiled while bringing her husband's parka and helping him wear it, carefully not to make a sudden move with his injured arm. "And there you go."

Rowan giggled, putting on her blue woolen coat which Duke's parents had sent her for Christmas.

Eryn mumbled through the scarf something and she was jumping up and down urgently.

"Let me guess, potty," Flint quickly unwrapped her from the scarf and the coat. "Go on, we'll wait for you."

Eryn went as fast as her little legs would take her.

"Her bladder is as small as she is," Duke commented to his best friend.

"I don't think she went to the bathroom this morning," Flint defended his little girl, while giving Scarlett a look. "No thanks to a redheaded alarm clock."

"Sorry about that," Scarlett apologized. "But I wanted to be sure it wasn't her that did this mess."

"Who did this mess?" Sky Dancer asked stifling a yawn and leaning against Kastor.

"I don't think it was ever figured out," Kastor told his wife.

Scarlett crossed her arms. "Well, if this happens again, I'll put trackers on all your wrists!"

Flint gulped. "I'm getting afraid," he joked and ducked the incoming toast missile. "All right, All right! I give I give!"

Rowan held on to Kastor's hand tightly. "I hope the ghost doesn't come back tonight."

"Rosey Posey, there is no ghost. I promise," Kastor said to the little girl.

"There is too!" Rowan and Sky Dancer answered him at the same time.

Flint smacked his forehead. "Fine, tonight I'll stay up and wait for this 'ghost' to come out."

"I'm going to really miss you, Uncle Dash," Rowan told the warrant officer.

"Where I'm going?" Flint asked flabbergasted.

"When the ghost takes you and you disappear," Rowan answered seriously.

Flint smacked his forehead for a second time.

Jaye was trying not to laugh.

Scarlett swallowed her giggle and headed toward the downstairs bathroom. She knocked on the door. "Everything all right in there, Eryn?" she gently asked.

They heard a crash and this caused Jaye to bolt for the bathroom door. When the handle was tried it was locked.

"Eryn!" Scarlett cried out, banging her fist on the door. "Can you open the door?"

Only whimpering was heard.

"Dash, get this door open!" Jaye yelled.

Duke looked at his best friend then ran over to the bathroom along side him.

Kastor hugged Rowan and Sky Dancer to him.

Flint brought his ear to the door to listen, but only heard softly crying. "Eryn, listen to me. Stay back from the door. I'm going to break it open." He took a step back, waiting for a few moments and then kicked the door open.

Eryn was on the floor crying. She had stepped on the toilet so she could wash her hands. Her step stool left for her so she could do that was missing.

Jaye rushed in.

"Is she all right?" Scarlett asked from the doorway.

Jaye picked her up. "Dash, she's bleeding!" She held the little girl to her tightly and took her out of the bathroom.

Flint looked at his daughter, spotting the blood coming out of her mouth. "Allie, I think her loose tooth came out." He rubbed Eryn's back. "Were you trying to get the tooth out for the tooth fairy?"

Eryn shook her head. "I was twying to wash my hands."

"Why didn't you used the stool in there for you?" Duke asked the little girl as he got her a bag of ice.

"Wasn't in dere," Eryn answered.

"I probably forget to bring it from upstairs," Flint shook his head. "I'm sorry, Eryn."

Eryn started to really cry and held onto her mother.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Jaye asked her tiny daughter.

"Maybe she want Brutus?" Rowan suggested, pointing to the bear who had been sitting in one of the kitchen chairs.

"I wost my toof," Eryn cried.

"Did it go down the drain?" Jaye asked softly and Eryn nodded.

Flint rolled up his sleeves. "Not for long," He began to act all macho. "Come on, Uncle C, time to go on a rescue mission and find that tooth." He walked into the bathroom.

"Are you really going to find it?" Scarlett asked impressed, glancing at the warrant officer who was now bending under the bathroom faucet.

"Yessire, ma'am!" Flint grinned. "I learned early to place a special netting in the drain pipe as a certain Joe woman kept losing her wedding band down the drain." He began to unscrew the pipe. "Conrad, wrench, STAT."

"Wrench," Duke said and smacked it into Flint's hand.

Jaye rolled her eyes.

"Ow, that hurt!" Flint teased, now working on the pipe. "Shana, touch the faucet and you will be under Beach Head's course!"

"Darn," Scarlett mumbled, walking away from the sink. "I almost had him!"

"Almost is the key word!" Flint chuckled. "See how happy we both are since you declined my dinner date all those years ago."

"Dash!" Scarlett scolded turning red from embarrassment.

"Ow," the groan came from a warrant officer with now a bruised side.

"Yeah after I had asked Courtney for that coffee- bluuuubuuuu!" Flint tried to talk but his mouth had water gushing out of it.

Sky Dancer laughed heartily at the warrant officer's expense. "Well, I'm glad for that declined dinner date too." She wrapped her arm around her husband's waist.

Eryn laughed. Jaye was furious.

Duke was laughing really hard.

"Serves you right," Scarlett hissed at the warrant officer.

Flint shook his wet hair, sprinkling water at the counterintelligence agent and general. He lifted his arm up in the air. "And mission accomplished!" he smiled at his daughter, showing her the lost tooth.

Eryn rushed and got her tooth.

Jaye turned and stormed out of the room.

"Good job, old buddy," Duke said to his friend.

Kastor snickered.

"Yeah, well, you know it happened before she transferred to the Joes!" Flint pointed out. He stood up and grabbed a towel. "Besides, I know about Shipwreck's attempt to date both, her and Shana together!"

"Don't remind me," Scarlett mumbled, holding on to her stomach.

"I still wouldn't want to be in your shoes right now. You know she's still not back from being sick," Duke told him as he clapped him on the back.

"Well, I got a little surprise for Mrs. Faireborn, but I'm not telling," Flint grinned. He toweled his wet hair and face, and then turned to the girls. "Ready to make some snowmen?"

Rowan nodded eagerly.

"No," Eryn said hotly. "Got to take care of the toof first. Need to put it in a gwass of wader."

"In a glass of water?" Sky Dancer asked puzzled. "I thought it was you had to place the tooth under the pillow."

"No, Mommy aways put it in a gwass so dat the Toof Fairy don' get squished under my piwwow," Eryn told her as if were the most common thing in the world.

"Ahh! Your mommy is very smart to think of the Tooth Fairy's safety," Sky Dancer replied, pinching her husband on the thigh from his attempt to let out a laugh. "My mom did something else. She used to take a small purple velvet bag, and place the tooth in it, and then hung it on my bedpost. When I woke up, the tooth was gone and in its place were drachmas."

"Dra-what?" Rowan asked curiously.

"Drachmas is Greek money, Rowan," Sky Dancer explained to the little girl.

"I get money too," Eryn said and waited for her father to help her.

"Can I have some?" Flint joked. "Because after I buy your mother a dozen roses for making her angry, I'll be broke!"

Rowan's eyes widened. "Dad! Give Uncle Dash a raise! You don't pay him enough!"

Duke laughed. "He's only joking sweetie."

Eryn held out her hands for her father to pick her up.

Flint smiled and picked up the seven year old. "Let's get this tooth in the glass," he said, kissing her cheek. He then headed for the kitchen and took out a glass from the cupboard. He filled it with water and placed it on the counter. "No one touches that, that is a direct order!"

The all saluted and nodded.

"I go talk to Allie," Scarlett said, turning and rushing up the stairs.

Sky Dancer sighed. "Well, since I'm still grounded, how about a nice game of backgammon, sir?" she asked Duke.

Flint chuckled. "Good luck, old buddy, she is going to beat the pants off you!" He helped Eryn with her coat.

"We'll see," Duke said with a chuckle, following the pilot toward the living room.

"I think I'm going to watch some television," Kastor said, with a cunning grin.

Rowan gapped at her brother. "But you promised to go out with us and play in the snow!"

"I know. I'm only teasing squirt," Kastor told her. "Come on."

"Come on, then!" Rowan pulled on his arm and dragged him out of the door.

"Let's go, Speedy!" Flint said to his daughter. "We are going to make a bigger and better Snowman than them!" He chuckled competitively and walked out of the house and into the snow-covered haven.

They rushed toward the back of the cabin, near where the woods began. Flint pushed a pile of snow for all of them since Kastor kept pointing to his injury.

"Where did Reenie find the bunnies?" Rowan asked, glancing at her brother while patting snow together to make the snowman's bottom.

"Over by the woods," Kastor answered her.

"Can you show us?" Rowan asked again, her blue-green eyes sparkling.

"Sure. Follow me," he said to the two girls and headed over in that direction.

The snow crunched beneath their boots, while several snowballs flew in the air, hitting the warrant officer in the back. Flint whirled around with a crooked smile. "Hey!"

"Horses eat hay!" Rowan and Eryn shouted at him.

Treading through some thick brush, Flint put his finger to his mouth. "Shh, we don't want to scare them."

"Where are they?" Rowan whispered to her brother.

Kastor looked around moving slowly.

"I fink dey might be over dere," Eryn said and pointed a little further into the woods.

"Which way?" Rowan whispered to Eryn.

"Don't stray too far!" Flint warned. He glanced to his right and left, then parted some bushes to find the rabbit hole. From under the brush two wild turkeys emerged, scaring the warrant officer in surprise. He clutched his chest, breathing heavily as the birds flew away. A brown rabbit darted out from another bush, making the warrant officer fall to the ground. Cursing under his breath, he stood up, rubbing his rear end. "Girls, I've found them!" He glanced toward the way his daughter and her best friend had ventured, only not to see them anywhere. A bush swayed from his right and Kastor appeared. "Jeffrey, are the girls with you?"

"No. I thought they were with you!" Kastor said worriedly.

Flint's eyes widened. "No, they're not." He stepped a few feet away from the brush. "Eryn! Rowan!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. But no answer came. The girls had vanished into thin air.


	7. Chapter 6

"Eryn! Rowan!" Flint bellowed at the top of his lungs, calling for the two missing girls. He glanced to his left and then his right, but all he could see were trees and more trees, but no redhead and her little brunette best friend.

Bushes swayed next to him and Kastor emerged, his expression easily deciphered. The young Hauser had not found the two girls either.

"Maybe they went inside for some hot chocolate?" Flint suggested, feeling his stomach grow heavy. Grown men could get lost in these woods, he shivered at the thought of what could happen to his daughter and the Hauser's adoptive daughter.

They raced into the cabin, bursting through the front door.

Flint raced to the kitchen, finding it empty. His heart started pulsing wildly in his chest. He turned but almost trampled Kastor who had followed him inside. "Eryn! Rowan!" he cried out, heading for the living room.

"Girls!" Kastor called out, following the warrant officer into the large room.

They found Duke sitting on one of the chairs near the roaring fire, reading a book, while both Scarlett and Jaye were holding the twins, and Sky Dancer had curled in a small ball on the sofa, covered with a hand-knit afghan, peacefully sleeping.

Jaye looked up at her husband then looked for the little girls. "Where are the girls?"

Duke looked at them alarm starting to grow within him.

Kastor seemed to hide behind Flint.

Scarlett glanced from her husband to the warrant officer.

Flint started walking around the room, searching around places where two girls could easily hide. "I thought they came back inside," he said, stopping and looking at the group.

Jaye bolted up from the couch, not waking up little Devon. "You lost the girls again?"

Duke stood up. "We have to go find them."

"I'm going to go wake up Cayden and Colleen," Kastor said, heading for the stairs.

"Jeff, wake them up, then wake up Reena, we are going to need Apollo," Flint instructed toward his godson.

Scarlett started pacing in front of the fireplace, holding Caitlin in her arms. "Someone needs to stay with the twins," she pointed out, concern for the lost girls crossing over her features.

"Reena and Conrad have been ill, they should stay behind," Jaye said, laying Devon down in the playpen.

Flint walked over to his wife. "But Reena is the only one who can work Apollo!" he argued.

Scarlett bent down and lay Caitlin next to her twin. "This is not a time to argue, Dash," she informed him. "But you're right this time. Apollo will find the girls. Would he listen to any of you?" she asked, already knowing the answer would be a no.

"I am not staying in here while my baby is out there in the cold," Jaye looked at Flint. "You lost her! You should stay here!"

"Allie," Duke warned.

"I'm not going to stay here either!" Flint yelled back.

"Both of you stop it!" Scarlett tried to control the situation.

A moment later, Cayden came running down the stairs.

Duke gently woke Sky Dancer. "I'll stay with the girls you all go."

Sky Dancer's eyes fluttered open. "What's wrong?" she asked groggily, seeing the concerned faces.

"Reena, can you get Apollo, Eryn and Rowan decided to take a walk in the woods," Flint told the pilot.

Sky Dancer jumped off from the couch. "Immediately," she replied, instantly going into her profession and started heading for the dog's kennel.

Colleen, putting on the robe, rushed down the stairs. "I'll stay with the twins, and wait here, just in case Eryn and Rowan return," she said, placing a hand on her husband's arm.

Jaye went over and grabbed her coat and put on her boots. Cayden followed suit.

Kastor followed Sky Dancer out.

"I'm going then if Colleen's staying," Duke said.

"You're with me," Scarlett told him, grabbing him by the hand and heading for the coat closet.

Flint walked over to his wife. "We should split up, two per group. We could cover more ground that way." He took out a box from the closet and opened it. Taking out three red thick looking markers. "Use these to mark a tree. This way, we won't have more people lost." He looked to his son. "Cayden, go with Duke and Scarlett, you know these woods, they don't."

"All right, Dad," Cayden said and went over to his godparents.

"I'm going by myself," Jaye growled softly at her husband.

"You are not, you are coming with me, or not coming at all," Flint sternly stated.

Scarlett pulled both her husband and godson out of the door, away from the heated conversation.

"You do not dictate to me!" Jaye growled at him as she pulled on her coat.

"Fine," Flint grumbled. "I won't dictate you!"

Colleen glanced from one of them to another. "You are both upset," she softly murmured. "But letting out all this aggravation won't help Eryn or Rowan."

Flint raked his pepper hair, he slowly nodded. "Colleen's right. We shouldn't fight. I was right there Allie, she just vanished and she knows better then to wander off. They both do."

Jaye looked at him and he could see that she was on a very fine line. She was barely staying together.

"Don't worry, we'll fine them," Flint soothed, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

The door opened and Sky Dancer walked in with Apollo. "Allie, do you know where Brutus is? I need Eryn's scent." She then looked to Colleen. "I need Rowan's scent too."

Colleen nodded, heading up the stairs to get Rowan's stuffed dog, Coco.

Jaye picked up Brutus from Eryn's seat in the kitchen.

"Such," Sky Dancer commanded the Doberman to track the seven-year-old.

Apollo walked over to Jaye, sniffed the bear, and returned to his handler.

Colleen rushed down the stairs with the second stuffed animal, bringing it to the dog, and again the Doberman sniffed the article.

"He's ready," Sky Dancer pointed out, now wishing she had brought Athena, her second Doberman on the trip, but Mutt insisted because of Athena's delicate condition to stay on base. The litter was due any day, and Mutt constantly kept an eye on the Doberman.

"Good," Flint nodded. "Let's go." He took his wife's hand and started out of the door.

Apollo, with Sky Dancer behind, walked out of the cabin, finding Kastor pacing in the snow. The trio started heading south, while the Faireborns headed west.

Several hours later, there was still no sign of the girls. The young Hauser couple followed the trained dog deeper into the thick forest. Jeffrey kept marking the trees while Sky Dancer kept marking their location on the map of the area.

Suddenly, Apollo started barking and several bushes began to sway back and forth.

"Rosey? Eryn?" they both cried out at the same moment.

The bushes parted and out emerged the Joe leader with his wife.

"Anything?" Sky Dancer inquired to her father-in-law.

Kastor looked to his parents hopefully.

"No, damn it!" Duke growled in frustration. "And this snow coming down is just covering up any tracks they would have left behind."

"Did Apollo find anything?" Scarlett asked, glancing at the dog who continued to sniff.

"He lost the trail after the little stream we crossed half a mile ago," Sky Dancer explained. "I've been trying to lead him around, hoping for him to find anything." A sneeze escaped. "Where's Cayden?"

Scarlett turned and pointed from the direction they had come. "He's down that way. We split up to cover more ground," she told the pilot.

Sky Dancer looked toward the bushes and another sneeze escaped.

"Reena, you're going back to the cabin," Duke ordered.

"I agree," Kastor said.

"No," Sky Dancer argued. "We have to find the girls."

Scarlett walked over to her daughter-in-law and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It won't help us if you become more sick," she murmured gently. "I'm pulling mother-in-law rank on this one. You are going to the cabin, but leave Apollo with me, maybe he will find something."

Sky Dancer went to argue but then slowly nodded in defeat. "All right, I'll go," she grumbled, then looked to her dog. "Obey Scarlett."

Apollo whimpered as if understanding and went to Scarlett's side, sitting at heel position.

"Come on you two, I'll show you a short cut," Duke said and led them away.

Scarlett watched them walk through the thick thicket, until they had completely disappeared from her blue eyes. She glanced at the gray sky above, its toning colors changing darker by every passing minute. Snow fluttered down, now even covering Duke's trail where he had led the young couple.

Where were those girls? Dusk was falling and if they didn't find them soon, the girls would freeze in the cold elements of the mountains. Her own sneeze escaped. "Eryn! Rowan!" she cried out at the top of her lungs, but no answer came, not even a small one.

Apollo looked at her and gave off a bark as if saying, _'Well, you going to use me or what?'_

"Such," Scarlett ordered the dog, who started sniffing the snow immediately after the given command. She followed the dog, her keen eyes searching the ground, hoping for some sort of clue but found none.

To her right, a large fur tree began to sway and Apollo stood at full alert ready for an attack.

"Easy boy," Scarlett whispered to the dog. She glanced at the tree. If any wild animal sprang from it, she would be ready. Her heart rate quickly pulsed.

A rabbit ran from under the brush causing Apollo to bark. Scarlett shook her head and they continued to search for the missing youngsters.

Meanwhile at the other side of the vast forest the elder Faireborn's were searching and becoming more and more worried as the light of day began to darken. "Dash, we have to find them, it's too cold for them to stay out here."

"We'll find them," Flint replied, continuing to walk through the brush, the snow crunching beneath his feet.

"But what if we don't?" Jaye asked starting to become frantic.

"We will," Flint insisted.

"But..." Jaye started to say but was cut off by her husband.

"Listen, we raised our daughter to think in situations like this, she and Rowan are smart kids, they will find shelter and we will find them," Flint replied, walking at the top of a small hill. "ERYN, ROWAN!" He bellowed, but the only sound that answered was a wolf's cry.

The wolf's cry was not a wolf, but a Doberman, hearing from the distance, the warrant officer's plea. Apollo answered back in a long howl that sent shivers down Scarlett's spine.

"What is it, Apollo?" Scarlett asked, glancing around her surroundings. They had traveled a short distance. She kept glancing back if there was any sign of Duke, there wasn't. Following the dog, she treaded on.

Apollo stopped, sniffed a tree, gave a small whimper and raced off, heading into a patch of fur trees. He barked non-stop, racing into the trees.

"Apollo!" Scarlett cried out, racing after the dog, her heart jumping to her throat. She neared the trees, pushing branches aside, and emerged on the other side. In front of her stood a small cavern's entrance. "Apollo! Rowan! Eryn!" she cried out into the dark cave.

"Mum!" cried out a small voice from inside the cave.

_Rowan!_Scarlett felt relief flow out of her face._ "Rowan! Eryn!"_

"Nana!" Eryn cried out.

"Girls, stay right there! I'm coming!" Scarlett shouted in the cavern, her voice echoing. She slowly maneuvered into the cave. "Apollo!"

Apollo barked from further into the cave, showing his position to the soldier.

Scarlett followed the barking until she caught sight of the dog and two silhouettes right next to him. "Girls!" she cried out, her tears trailing down, rushing over and wrapping her arms around them both. "Are you all right?"

Rowan slowly nodded. "Yes."

"I hungry," Eryn said.

Scarlett let out a laugh. "Well, sweetheart, I'm going to make sure you both eat as much as you want when we get home," she stated, taking off her parka. "Rowan, take off your coat and wrap it over Eryn. I'm going to put mine on you."

"All right, Mum," Rowan replied, taking off her coat.

Making sure both girls were warm enough, Scarlett picked up Eryn in her arms. "Rowan, I need you to wrap your arms around my neck. I'm going piggy back you home." She kneeled down, letting her daughter's trembling hands reach around her neck.

Standing back up, Scarlett looked at Apollo. "What does Reena say to Apollo to follow? Heel?"

"No, Mum," Rowan answered. "It's... Fuss!" Both girls yelled out the command.

Apollo rushed to their side and together they all walked out of the cavern. Walking through the woods, Scarlett followed the Doberman, hoping he knew his way back. The sky had turned pitch black and the stars shinned bright from above their heads.

Slowly and steadily, Scarlett continued to head down one of the trials, but did not recognize any of the surroundings. Was she going the right way? Did the dog knew where it was going? Fear became trapped in her mind and she pushed it away. From ahead of them, Apollo stopped, and stood at attention.

"What is it?" Scarlett whispered to the dog.

Apollo barked at the two fir trees which swayed and Duke's head popped through them.

"Conrad!"

"Shana!" Duke called out, relief in his voice. "Thank God!" He rushed as fast as he could over to them. "I'm so glad to see you and that you found them."

"Dad!" Rowan cried out from Scarlett's back.

"I didn't find them, Apollo did," Scarlett replied, glancing toward the dog who was barking with happiness.

"Here let me take Rowan and let's get them back to the cabin," Duke said as he took Rowan in his arms.

Rowan wrapped her arms around her father's neck, leaning her head against his chest.

Scarlett nodded, making sure Eryn was fully covered with her own and Rowan's coats. "Y..yes," her voice trembled from the cold. Together they started heading back to the cabin, Apollo leading the way.

Half an hour later, the cabin's lights shinned brighter then the stars, leading the way. Entering through the front door, the warmth enveloped their bodies.

"Mom!" Colleen cried out, jumping from the sofa and Cayden's arms, rushing to them. "You found them!"

"They were in a cave," Scarlett breathlessly replied, glancing around her. "Have Dash and Allie come back?" She couldn't see the couple, and only found Jeffrey minus his wife by the fireplace.

"No, not yet," Colleen answered, taking Eryn from her mother's arms. "Here, all of you, come by the fire. I've made tomato soup for everyone."

Cayden started to make sure both were all right as everyone gathered around the fire.

"Where's Reena?" Scarlett whispered to Colleen, sipping some of the soup in a mug.

"She went to bed, after several arguing moments," Colleen whispered back, hinting at Jeffrey, ignoring his 'tattle tale twin' expression. "She wanted to keep looking, he didn't let her."

"I'll check on -" Scarlett went to reply when the door burst open and Flint, dragging what it seemed an extremely angry wife walked in.

"Allie, I'm not giving up! We are just came back to get the helicopter!" Flint yelled over the Gaelic-Greek and who knows what else language known to man was thrown out at him.

"Dash!" Duke called over the screaming. "Shana and Apollo found them!"

"_What!_" Flint shouted, letting go of his wife's hand, glancing over toward the fireplace and finding the brunette hair and those little hazel eyes. "Eryn!"

"Daddy!" Eryn said and rushed over to him and jumped into his arms.

"Oh Eryn! Oh my baby!" Jaye said, tears starting to flow down her cheeks as she hugged her daughter in her husband's arms.

"Young lady, I'm so happy you are safe, but you are going to get a lecture a mile long!" Flint stated, then added, "Tomorrow."

Rowan gulped, huddling closer to her father. "That means me too, right?"

"Yes, sweetie," Duke said and hugged her tight.

"The girls appear to be just fine despite their ordeal," Cayden said and walked over and put his arm around his wife's waist.

"I'm glad for that," Flint stated, kissing Eryn on the cheek. "Shana, where did you find them?"

"In the cave," Scarlett explained, standing up and walking over to her son.

Rowan smiled. "It was Eryn's idea! She said the cave will keep us warm and safe."

"That's my girl," Flint smiled proudly at his daughter.

"Mommy showed me da cabe wast time we was here," Eryn said proudly.

Jaye kissed her forehead and felt Flint's arm wrap around her.

"That girl is amazing sometimes," Duke said.

Kastor smiled, glad everything turned out all right.

Scarlett lightly touched her son's arm. "You and Reena had a little argument?" she gently asked, knowing that sometimes the couple acted like a younger version of Flint and Jaye. Both stubborn, proud, and one of them cursing in a second language.

Kastor looked down. "I only wanted to keep her from getting worse sick."

"I know," Scarlett told him. She kissed him on the cheek. "I'll go check on her." She squeezed his hand before heading up the stairs and down the hall towards her son's bedroom. She softly knocked on the door, but no answer came. Frowning, she slowly twisted the knob, opened the door and walked inside. "Reena?"

A soft muffled sound came from the direction of the bed. Scarlett switched on the lights, and found her daughter-in-law curled up in a small ball, holding her stomach. Her eyes still shining from recently fallen tears. "Reena."

Sky Dancer slowly sat up. "The girls!" she cried out, ready to burst back into searching motion.

Scarlett raised her hand to stop the pilot from getting up. "Are fine, Apollo found them in a cave," she explained, walking over and sitting right next to the woman who won her son's heart. "But you on the other hand, don't look fine."

Sky Dancer embraced Scarlett quickly, her head low. "It's all my fault," she choked out, fresh tears rushing down her cheeks.

"How is it your fault?" Scarlett pursued, stroking the dog handler's long brown hair.

"I should had never said anything about the bunnies," Sky Dancer admitted, guilt in her voice.

"Look at me," Scarlett murmured. "Don't think this was your fault. It just happened. Do you understand?"

Sky Dancer nodded, but her features showed the opposite.

A knock came at the door. "Reena?" Colleen asked, walking inside with a mug of tomato soup. Her blue eyes turned soft, finding her best friend in distress. "Hey, you want me to go down there and flip my brother?"

Sky Dancer let out a sobbed a giggle. "No, but thanks anyway. I'll take up on your offer another time but I think I need to apologize to him."

Colleen smiled, walking over, placed the mug on the night table and gave her sister-in-law a tight hug.

Scarlett grinned, then turned, finding two little cave dwellers peeking from behind the door. "You can come in girls," she said, motioning to Eryn and Rowan to enter the bedroom.

"You 'k, Weena?" Eryn asked as she walked in.

Rowan timidly followed the seven year old into the room.

"I'm fine," Sky Dancer jumped out of bed and hugged the girls together. "I'm so happy you are both safe."

The girls hugged the pilot tightly.

"Okay, Dance, you young lady need some of my tomato soup," Colleen stated, using the Scarlett no nonsense stare.

Sky Dancer stood up. "I'm not hungry at the moment," she said.

"What!" Colleen grabbed a pillow. "You, who make all these great dishes, and makes me eat until I want to blow up like a Cobra bubble, is refusing to eat one of my instant soups from a can?" She whacked her friend on the side with the pillow.

"Hey!" Sky Dancer tried to maneuver away but was throttled again.

Scarlett threw her head backwards and laughed at the women. She then felt a pillow smashing to her side. "Hey!" she cried out to the girls, who had grabbed two other pillows and had a wicked playful grin on their faces.

"Horses eat hay!" Colleen, Rowan and Eryn cried out, continuing to hit their targets.

Sky Dancer and Scarlett grabbed the rest of the pillows from the bed and in moments, a full blown pillow fight had started.

"Wait!" Scarlett stopped them, breathing heavily. "We are missing someone!"

They turned to the door and yelled at the top of their lungs. "JAYE!"

A moment later, Jaye was standing in the doorway. "What on Earth?"

"Get her!" Scarlett cried out and they all rushed, attacking the ex-covert operative agent with the pillows.

"We should have a sleepover!" Rowan suggested, racing away from Eryn's pillow crashing down on her head.

"Yeah!" Eryn cried out as the pillow hit her side.

Jaye laughed and looked for a pillow of her own.

"Hey, what's all the racket?" Flint asked from the doorway, his eyes wide, staring at the scene before him. "You are all nuts!"

All of them stopped and glared at the warrant officer, before throwing their pillows at him.

"Get out Dash, only women allowed here tonight!" Scarlett headed toward the door and closed it on his face.

"Retreat!" Flint cried out from behind the door.

Jaye laughed at her husband's expense. "Poor little Flinty got a booboo on his nose nose," she said in a childlike voice causing the others to laugh.

She grabbed a fallen pillow and started hitting her best friend.

"You're on!" Scarlett said, grabbing another pillow and counterattacked.

Again, pillows struck sides and caused many giggles, everyone enjoying the fight. They screamed, shouted out battle cries and created a huge disaster in the orderly looking room.

The bedroom door burst open with one warrant officer walked inside, dressed in a long white nightgown, complete with a mop cap and wore a long blond wig. "Hi girls!" he said in a high squeeky voice, his best trying to imitate a woman. "Can I play?"

Scarlett, Jaye, Colleen, Sky Dancer, Rowan and Eryn looked at one another, screamed at the top of their lungs, and all raced out of the door, leaving the cross-dresser in an empty room.


	8. Chapter 7

The snow whirled outside the window, twirling in circles, thousands of snowflakes dancing in the dark sky and the wind howled with its strong force pounding on the cabin. The storm had worsened since it had begun a few hours ago. After a lengthy pillow fight in the upstairs bedrooms, the women ambushed the defenseless men in the living room. Duke and Cayden barked threats at their wives, who only responded to them with flinging pillows. Eryn and Rowan, laughed their little hearts outs watching the adults act silly in front of their eyes. But once the threats of kissing started, they retreated to their alcove with Brutus and Coco. Apollo decided the little girls still needed his protection, so he stayed close to them. Scarlett, Jaye, Colleen and Sky Dancer continued to battle the three men until Flint walked down the stairs, acting in a regal manner, to which the men cried out in horror and retreated to their bedrooms, ending the pillow war.

Sky Dancer looked out the window from her bed, her eyes still open, unable to retreat to the peaceful land of dream. Her eyes continued to watch the snow fly against the window, sending a shiver down her spine. She closed her eyes for a mere moment thinking that Eryn and Rowan could have been still out in the storm if it weren't for Apollo and Scarlett. Her stomach turned from what the outcome could have been. But that wasn't the reason for keeping her awake, no.

A loud snore came to her right, making her eyes flung open and turn toward the ghastly sound. _That_, that was the reason. Kastor's snoring. Her husband rarely snored, but once he did, nobody twenty feet away from him could sleep in peace. Her heart quickened knowing that she was the reason he had become upset during the evening. He barely talked to her when they had gone to bed, mumbling about being tired and sleepy.

She slowly scooted closer to him, touching his backside, wanting to be near him, but his slid further away. Her heart grew heavy and a sigh escaped. She closed her eyes and rolled away. Tomorrow she would apologize to him. She knew that he only wanted to keep her from getting worse, but he still didn't understand. She was a Joe! Lives were at stake! He had missed many things during his absence during the past two years of being missing in action and presumed dead. And one of those things he had missed was her improvement as a Joe and a soldier.

Sleep did not come for the pilot. The clock next to the bed clicked the seconds, letting time fly away.

"Oooohhh!"

'_On no!'_ she thought, '_Not again!'_Her heart now raced. Sure, she could battle snakes, walk through the most scary situations, chase Shipwreck and Anchors around base but once she had to deal with the supernatural, she was all chicken feathers.

"Oooohhh!" came the ghost cry from inside the room. It was inside the room, wasn't it?

"Jeff?" she whispered toward her husband. Her eyes went wide, feeling the eyes of another on her!

"Whammitmenthhmmm.." came the answer with a loud snore.

"Ghost," Sky Dancer whispered, leaning closer to the person she loved the most.

"No goats here, go back to sleep," Kastor murmured, snoring.

Sky Dancer groaned falling back on the pillow, shaking her head in dismay. She listened in the darkness, waiting for another wail. This time when it came she would roll him off the bed, making sure he heard the ghostly sound. Why didn't he believe her? She would never lie to him, and yet that was a falsehood for she had lied to him before when both she and Flint were trying to uncover the traitor on base. Minutes passed and no moan came, none. The only sound came from the rumbling of her stomach. She rose to her elbows, glancing down at her belly, knowing it was empty from not eating any dinner. "No," she whispered to it, but its reply was a louder cry.

"Fine," she said to herself, standing up from the bed, placed on her blue robe and headed out of the room, down the hallway and downstairs to the kitchen. A wave of dizziness surrounded her and she leaned against the wall for a moment. Switching on the lights, a gasp escaped, discovering the kitchen one war zone once again. "Oh great, Mom is going to have a fit!"

Shaking her head, she first walked to the stove, grabbed a pot and filled it with milk, then took out rice and several other ingredients to make some rice pudding. While the rice boiled, she started straightening out the disaster that dominated the room. Half an hour later, the mess had been cleaned up and the rice pudding was done. She placed the pudding in small bowls and put those in the refrigerator. In another half hour, she would have a treat and surprise the others with the treat for breakfast.

She glanced around the now spotless kitchen. "This is what happens to Joe women when we can't sleep," she told the pots and pans that hung from the middle island. "We make rice pudding at 0300 hours!" She walked to the window, glancing outside, watching the snow come down heavily. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, waiting for the rice puddle to be ready.

An hour later, she took out the treat and sprinkled some cinnamon on it, eating it quickly like an hungry animal. With her stomach satisfied, she headed back up the stairs to her bedroom. The dark hallway started playing tricks with the wind blowing around the old cabin, making shadows dance on the walls. A shiver went down her spine and she quickened her pace. But a movement in front of her caught her attention and she knew it wasn't her imagination. A woman in white glided across the hallway, vanishing through the wall.

Sky Dancer's heart flew to her throat, her breath quickened and she felt the room spin. Her mouth went to unleash its fear but her body reacted first, sending her down to the floor. Her head whirled in the dark depths, sending her into a realm of nothingness. A hand touched her cheek, gently patting it, and someone whispered her name, but the fog did not let her escape. The patting increased to a slap and her eyes flung open, finding two green eyes staring down to her brown ones with deep concern.

"Reena," Cayden called as he patted her cheek again. "Come on honey, wake up!"

"Ghost!" she cried out, yanking on his robe.

"Easy, easy," Cayden said, calming her down.

Sky Dancer swallowed hard and nodded. "I saw her again, she walked right through the wall!" She pointed down the hallway. She touched her head, feeling the nausea surround her.

"Does your head hurt?" Cayden asked worriedly.

"No," Sky Dancer replied. looking away. "Just dizzy and nauseous. I won't lie to you. I really don't feel well." She knew he knew from her Infirmary visits she rarely admitted on feeling sick.

Cayden picked her up from the floor and carried her over to a chair and placed her down. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since before Duke and I went on the Russian mission," Sky Dancer answered. "But I've been really feeling it the past two days."

"Is it just nausea or are you having abdominal pain as well?" Cayden asked as he started to examine her.

"Just nausea," Sky Dancer answered.

Cayden left the pilot for a moment, heading back into his room and returned with his medical supplies and did a thorough examination.

"Dr. Caveman? Did you find anything?" Sky Dancer asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Cayden looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile before whispering the answer in her ear.

"What! No!" Sky Dancer cried out, her features turning pale.

"I'm afraid so," Cayden told her.

"Are you sure?" Sky Dancer asked, feeling her stomach turn from what he had just admitted to her. "Are you really sure?"

"Reena," Cayden said, looking right in her eyes. "I am positive."

She looked down to the floor to her bunny slippers, which were given by Jaye at Christmas. "How could this happen?" She wrapped her arms around herself. "I was careful, even with the pills. Blazes! How!"

"Ummm...well...it started when you and Jeff fell in love..." Cayden said, with a smirk on his face.

Sky Dancer smacked his arm, hard. "I don't need the Adam and Eve story, Cayden!" she stated, shaking her head, with a glint in her brown eyes. She covered her face with her hands. "Oh, what am I going to do?"

"You are going to go tell your husband," Cayden told her.

Her eyes widened and she dropped her hands to her lap. "Tell Jeffrey! You must be jesting!" she exclaimed, fear in her voice. "No, I can't. How is her going to react? I'll tell you how! It won't be pretty!"

"You don't know that," Cayden argued gently.

"Yes, I do," she murmured softly, her eyes losing their sparkle.

"Would you like me to tell him for you?" Cayden offered.

"No!" Sky Dancer bolted straight up, finding the hallway turning from her quick movement and sent her into Cayden's arms. She looked up at the handsome doctor, who had that concern look in his eyes. A sound came from behind them, and throat was cleared. Her heart thumped madly in her chest, turning and finding her husband glaring at both of them with his arms crossed in the front. "Oh...crap," she whispered.

"Hey, buddy," Cayden said as he made sure Sky Dancer could stand on her own. "It's not what it looks like.

"Oh yeah? Then tell me what it is," Kastor said with a hint of anger.

"Would 'the ghost' work for you?" Sky Dancer sent him a weary grin. "Honesty Jeff, it is nothing!"

"Yeah, of course," Kastor said then turned to head back to his room.

Sky Dancer left Cayden's steady arms and rushed to her husband, touching his arm gently. "Nothing happened!" she urged the meaning of the words.

"Just leave me alone. I'm going back to bed," he said as he continued on.

"Fine, Jeffrey, if that is what you want," Sky Dancer replied, turning around, and leaned against the wall.

"Oh, so now you're giving in easily," Kastor said, sarcastically, turning to face her.

"What do you want me to do, Jeff?" she retorted. "Get another argument through the roof?"

"Well it seems like that is all you want to do with me, so what do you expect me to say?" Kastor said then turned and continued to leave once again.

Sky Dancer's heart leaped. "I don't always argue with you!" she stated, her voice rising an octave higher then she attended.

"Sorry if it seems that way to me," Kastor told her. "I'm going back to bed." He had neared the door to their bedroom down the hall.

"Jeffrey!" Sky Dancer quickened her pace toward him, her brown ponytail dancing behind her back. "It's never that way!"

He tried to ignore her.

"DAMN IT, JEFFREY! Listen to me!" Sky Dancer yelled at the top of her lungs. "Nothing happened!"

Doors slightly opened and heads peeked out behind them, hearing to the couple's argument in the hallway.

"Here we go again," Scarlett whispered to Duke, watching the battle that had commenced.

Kastor turned. "Yes, something happened. Something was bothering you and you went to him. Damn it, I'm your husband, not Cayden!"

"Oh boy," Duke whispered.

Jaye stood next to Flint. "I've never seen two people argue as much as those two do."

"I agree with you there, Allie!" Flint nodded with agreement. "What happened?"

A groggily Colleen came out of the babies room. "What's going on?"

"I'll tell you what's going on!" Sky Dancer yelled. "Your brainless twin thinks just because he found me in your husband's arms thinks there is something going on!"

Colleen stood silently still, blinking, her mouth dropped and she glanced to her husband who was heading her way.

"That is not what I said. I said something was bothering you and you went to him instead of me!" Kastor yelled, his face turning red as an apple.

"I didn't go to him! He came to me!" Sky Dancer yelled back, her own blood boiling.

Scarlett smacked her forehead and shook her head.

"Came to you? _Came to you!_" Kastor growled. "Fine you two keep your secrets, I don't care anymore." He turned, placing his hand on the bedroom's door.

Flint's jaw hit the wooden floor.

Colleen went numb, leaning against the wall for support.

"Fine!" Sky Dancer yelled, her face turning ashen. "Don't care, Hauser! Don't you dare care that he was trying to keep me from passing out! Don't you care either that he examined me!" Her chest rose up and down from her breathing. "And don't you dare care about me having a baby!"

She took two steps forward and yelled again, "I'm having your baby!"

Dead silence followed that explanation, that and Scarlett hitting the floor out cold.

Kastor quickly turned and looked at her in surprise before he too met the floor.

"Wow, two for the price of one," Jaye said evenly, looking from one unconscious Joe to the other.

Flint looked down at his white nightgown. "Maybe it was something I wore," he grinned, wrapping his arms around his wife.

"See!" Sky Dancer looked to the Joe doctor and pointed at her husband's limb body. "I knew he would do something like that!" Her shoulders slumped.

Duke bent down to check on his wife.

Cayden rushed over to Kastor and patted his face a little until he woke up. "You all right, buddy?"

"Did she say she was having a baby?" he asked in soft tones.

"And these are the Days of our Joe Lives," came Jaye's smart assed comment.

"Forget lives, we've got General Hauser Hospital here!" Flint added with a loud laugh.

Colleen walked over to her brother. "You really do act like Dad sometimes," she teased.

From the commotion, the babies started wailing. Sky Dancer rushed into the room, picking up Caitlin. She rocked the baby gently in her arms.

"She's having a baby," Kastor jumped to his feet. "I'M HAVING A BABY!"

"I'm sure she'll wish that when she's in labor," Jaye said to him.

Duke gently shook his wife.

Scarlett slowly woke. "Tell me my hearing is going?" she asked him, glancing around.

"Try that double at once!" Colleen added to her mother-in-law's comment.

"You're going to be a grandmother again," Duke grinned down at his wife.

Kastor looked around for his wife then ran into where she was and picked her up and twirled her around.

"You think he's just a wee bit happy?" Jaye commented.

Scarlett looked at the couple then hit the floor for the second time.

"Jeff! Put me down!" Sky Dancer demanded, holding on to the eight-month-old. "You're making Caitlin dizzy!" He hadn't even noticed her holding the child. Typical! Would he ignore his own like this? she wondered.

"I wasn't making her dizzy, she was laughing," Kastor defended. He looked hurt that she had yelled at him again. He turned and left the room.

Sky Dancer hurried after him, still holding Caitlin in her arms, she followed him into their room and she closed the door behind her. A sigh escaped, glancing toward him. "I'm sorry I yelled," she apologized. "I didn't mean too. I've been grumpy lately and I know I said things I didn't mean."

"Yeah well, go on, take care of her," he said as he climbed into bed and turned off his nightstand light.

She walked over and switched on the lamp. Holding Caitlin in her arms, she sat down next to him, placing the baby on the bed, making sure the little firebolt didn't crawl near the edge. "I think this is the first time, we've been in a room with her alone." she stated, stroking the baby's dark curls.

"Yeah so? Come on, I'm tired." He covered his head with the blanket.

Sky Dancer looked downwards. "We never talked about having a family, Jeff. Maybe something like kidding around but never serious." She then glanced at him. "Why do always run away from the twins? I've hardly seen you with them."

"I'm not going to discuss this with you right now. I'm not in the mood," Kastor told her, sitting up.

Sky Dancer slowly nodded. "I won't force you Jeff, into anything," she calmly stated, her voice slightly shaking. She picked up Caitlin in her arms, holding the baby motherly. "I guess wanting a family was not in both our futures."

"I picked you up and twirled you around what the hell did you think I did that for?" Kastor yelled at her, tired of always being portrayed as the bad guy. "Just leave me alone, I can't take much more of this. All you've been doing since I got back was yell at me or tell me I'm doing something wrong and I'm sick of it!"

His words felt like a slap across her face and into her heart. She inhaled but never exhaled. Her entire body shook, and her eyes teared, but those tears never trailed down. She jumped from the bed, holding her niece in her arms. "I lost my entire family Jeff," her choked words withered in the room. "I lost you too."

Sky Dancer opened the door, darted out of the room and headed to the nursery, closing the door behind her.

The entire hallway went numb with no words, until Scarlett pointed out to her husband. "You go that way," she pointed to Sky Dancer's room, "I go this way." she already heading for her son's room.

Colleen wrapped her arms around her husband, holding him close.

"Guess that means to be continued..." Flint muttered to himself.


	9. Chapter 8

Colleen walked into the kitchen holding a tray with a plate of pancakes, oatmeal, toast and juice. Her face had a frown upon it of displeasure. "She didn't eat a thing," she announced to the kitchen crew.

Scarlett turned around from the sink, wiping her hands on the dishtowel. "Still?" she asked, her face filled with concern. Even the worry was embroidered within the wrinkles in her eyes. "She hasn't touched anything for the past two days!"

"I know," Colleen replied, walking over to the Island in the middle of the kitchen and setting down the tray. She smacked on Cayden's hand as he reached over and stole a piece of toast. "Hey! That is for Reena, not your black hole of a stomach!"

"I'm half Hart-Burnett," Cayden explained with a smile on his face before kissing his wife on the cheek. "I can't control my urges!"

A groan came from the table from Jaye who covered her face with her hands and shook it slowly. Duke patted Jaye on the shoulder as he chuckled at her expense.

"Fine," Colleen said, defeated. "It's going to go to waste anyway. You might as well have it."

Cayden grinned and grabbed the other piece of toast. "Got Ketchup?"

Another groan followed at the table and this time they all glanced over to see Jaye banging her head on it, recalling the Ketchup craving obsession from being pregnant with him.

"She needs to eat something!" Scarlett claimed, picking up the tray. "She needs to think of the baby too."

"Good luck," Colleen muttered to her mother while grabbing hold of the Ketchup bottle in her hands and dashing around the room, playing 'keep away' with her handsome husband.

"She may have more of a success than me," came from the doorway as a warrant officer walked into the kitchen wearing a bowl on top of his head with oatmeal trailing down his sides. "This is my battle injury."

Duke, Jaye, and Cayden burst out laughing.

"New hair treatment, Dad?" Colleen playfully asked, running around the warrant officer, keeping the ketchup bottle still away from her husband's outstretched hands.

Flint groaned. "He's stubborn, she's stubborn. They both deserve each other!"

"Colly!" Cayden pleaded. "Get back here, wife! I want my Ketchup!"

Colleen giggled, dropped to her knees, crawling under the table, near her father. "Come and get it!"

Scarlett shook her head listening to the Gaelic and Greek words, while Flint muttered to himself about taking a long shower and Jaye and Duke laughing at the whole situation. '_At least they are not sulking, unlike the other two,_' she thought to herself, walking up the stairs and entering the Nursery.

Caitlin spotted her grandmother entering the room from her crib and reached her little hands up, begging to be picked up. She let out a small happy cry.

"In a minute, Honeybunch," Scarlett smiled at the little baby before walking over to the rocking chair where Sky Dancer had settled down rocking Devon in her arms. "Colleen mentioned you didn't want any breakfast, but I thought I would bring you something anyway. Minus the toast, it was devoured by a hungry Faireborn."

"Allie?" Sky Dancer asked, holding Devon on her lap, stroking the little baby's hair.

"Other Faireborn, the one with the needles to be more precisely." Scarlett smiled, sitting in another chair in the room and placed the tray of food on a small round table. "You need to eat something."

"I'm not really hungry, honest," Sky Dancer replied, looking down avoiding her mother-in-law's face.

"You need to think about the baby too," Scarlett pointed out, getting to the point.

Sky Dancer looked at the redhead before glancing back down at Devon. "Maybe I can eat something later," she murmured.

"Maybe you should eat something now," Scarlett insisted, pushing the oatmeal closer to her daughter-in-law. "Jeffrey is not eating either."

"He's not?" Sky Dancer glanced up in surprise.

Scarlett shook her head solemnly. "No, honey, he's not."

"He needs to eat."

"So do you." Scarlett stood up from the chair and took Devon out of Sky Dancer's arms. "Now, you can't hold my granddaughter until you eat, Hauser."

"That's worse than Colleen's threat," Sky Dancer informed, pushing away the bowl of oatmeal.

"Oh? And what did my daughter threaten with?" Scarlett asked, sitting down in the second chair in the room and placing Devon on her lap, bouncing the baby with her legs.

"I'll never see Asproula for the rest of my life," Sky dancer answered, referring to her stuffed dog, which her parents had given her on her eighth birthday.

"Oh, good threat!" Scarlett agreed, nodding her head.

Sky Dancer glanced out the window at the falling snow. She placed her hand on her stomach, feeling the hunger start to overpower her body. "Is he still angry with me?"

Scarlett looked to the pilot. "Honesty, Reena, I don't know what he's feeling right now. You aren't the only one who locked themselves in a room for two days straight."

Guilt dominated Sky Dancer's heart. "I didn't mean to yell. He knows I can't control my temper sometimes. But lately, it's gotten worse and he's been in the cross fire."

"It's only natural to have your emotions run wild during pregnancies," Scarlett pointed, recalling her own temper arguments with her husband during the time she was pregnant with the twins.

"This has been going on for a while," Sky Dancer revealed.

"Since when?" Scarlett asked.

"Since he returned into my life," Sky Dancer murmured, wrapping her arms around herself.

Scarlett stood up, holding baby Devon and walked to the a pilot, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "You've both been through a lot, Reena. You of all people know that it takes time to heal."

"I know, but sometime I feel he's holding back," Sky Dancer admitted her feelings.

"How's so?" Scarlett asked gently.

Sky Dancer looked up, her brown eyes filled with sorrow. "Like the babies, he rarely holds them."

"Did you asked him about it?"

"Yes," Sky Dancer answered, "but he didn't want to answer me when I did."

"Maybe you should try again," Scarlett suggested, pushing away a lock of Sky Dancer's brown hair away from the pilot. A frown developed in her features. "Reena, where is your locket?"

Sky Dancer rose her hand to her chest where once her signature silver heart locket used to be. "During the Russian mission, one of the Vipers came from behind and aimed for my throat, in the shuffle, he grabbed the locket and broke the chain. I lost the locket during the battle but when were returning home from the mission, Duke had found it on the ground after the battle and returned it to me. It's in my room now."

"Did you tell Jeffrey what happened at that mission?" Scarlett asked, bouncing baby Devon on her hip.

"No, sometimes I don't want to tell him what happened to me," Sky Dancer mumbled, looking downward to her lap.

"Maybe telling him would help, sometimes relationships need to fed with telling each other's ordeals," Scarlett pointed out. "Trust me by experience, you can't hide from the person who loves you the most."

"Sometimes he hides things from me too," Sky Dancer added, her eyes downcast.

"Maybe my son will open up if he knows that you will always be there for him, no matter what," Scarlett claimed, walking over to the crib and placing Devon next to her now grumpy looking sibling.

Sky Dancer shot up from the rocking chair. "I'm always there for him! I hate seeing him lost, trying to remember something from his past and can't! I hate seeing him get hurt!"

"Why?" Scarlett probed, playing with Caitlin's bunny, making it bounce up and down on the crib.

"Because I don't want to lose him," Sky Dancer replied, and then softy added, "Because I love him."

"Don't tell me, tell him," Scarlett said, not turning around to face the pilot.

Sky Dancer's stomach lurched and twisted around. _Tell him!_ She turned around, glancing outside at the falling snow. Her heart rate raced.

"Come on, girls, Nana is going to feed you," Scarlett told the babies, picking them up and walking out of the door, taking one last glance at her daughter-in-law before leaving.

"Oh Jeff," Sky Dancer murmured, her head hung low, feeling the pain in her heart. She didn't know how long she stood there with her emotions running wild in her body, one yelling at her to tell him, the other telling her to let go, and one that said, move your rear girl and go to him!

She slowly nodded to herself, striding to the door, and walked out into the hallway. Silence greeted her, but once passing the staircase she heard the others from downstairs talking about the babies. She touched her stomach again, knowing now that by next year another baby would be joining the family. Her baby. Hers and Jeffrey's. Reaching the bedroom, she slowly turned the knob and entered.

"Jeff?" she whispered, peeking inside the room, immediately spotting his frame on the bed, covered with a blanket. She swallowed hard, finding his back away from her.

She walled inside the bedroom, closing the door behind her, then walked slowly toward the bed, her eyes never leaving his backside. She lifted the covers, sliding underneath them and timidly scooted over next to him, stopping only an inch apart. "Jeffrey?" she tried one more time, trying to control the fear in her voice. Silence greeted her question.

"You don't have to talk to me," she murmured, reaching slowly and touched the back of his head, stroking his hair. His body stiffened from her touch, feeling his anger merging to her hand, and running down her arm and into her heart. She closed her eyes, barricading the tears that wanted to escape. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Jeff. I never meant to do such a thing. I lost control of my anger again, and this time it fell on you."

Her hand fell from his hair, and snuggled it against herself. "It's not fair to you that I keep things from you," she admitted. "And I owe you an explanation. What I'm about to tell you can't be found in my file or my records." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Not many people know about this, Jeffrey. But I want you to know. I need you to know." The lump in her throat demanded to be released but she swallowed it down. "When I was twelve, Elena and I were at my home in Athens. We had just watched a movie, and were waiting for my parents to come back from their dinner party. From nowhere the door burst open and six men in black, with blue masks came in and grabbed us. They pulled and we kicked, and then I saw someone hit Elena on the head before I felt something hit mine and I don't remember anything else."

Her eyes watched his back, seeing his muscles tense and she continued, "When I woke up, I couldn't find Elena. I was in a small dark room, and I was scared, and very alone. A man came through the door, grabbed my hair and pulled me to the bed. I thought he was going to hurt me, but he didn't. He demanded to know my father's codes. I didn't know them. Somehow, he knew I had sneaked into my father home office and read his files. I yelled I didn't know anything and he kept yanking at my hair until my scalp bled. He threw me on the bed, and yelled if I didn't tell him the codes, Elena would die."

She shivered, huddling closer to him, letting her stomach touch his back. "All night I heard Elena's cries. They hurt her! They hurt my best friend, and I only could sit and listen to her screams, unable to do anything about it. I started hitting the walls with my hands until they hurt. I didn't care. I yelled and I screamed, but they didn't stop. I got so angry I started grabbing things and threw them at the door. Anger took over me and I started yelling the codes. I betrayed my father."

A soft sob escaped. "The door opened and he came inside with an evil smile on his face and he called me a good girl. That he knew I would bend. I lost my temper again and I kicked him hard. Again and again but he only laughed at my face. And then he pulled off his mask, showing his face. I was never in my life so angry at my father's best friend. He betrayed my father, my family and my country. Hephaestus Fidi, the man also known as Dr. Mindbender."

"I didn't know he was a Cobra," Sky Dancer continued. "But I think my father did, and he hid it from my mother and me. He locked me in the room again, but this time, he let Elena stay with me. They hadn't hurt her, but they had used a device on her head, making her think she was being tortured. But to me, they had hurt her and her gentle spirit."

Tears raced down her cheeks, letting her emotions flow out. "They left us there to die, locked us in and left. I don't know how long we were in there, but we became weak. I could barely lift my head and then the door opened and a dog came in. A Doberman, and my father following it inside. I cried on his chest, begging him to forgive me for what I had done. But all he did was smile, hug and kiss me."

She leaned her head against his back, reaching out and wrapping her arm around his shoulder. "Ever since then, I can't control my anger, because I think someone I love is getting hurt and its all my fault." She kissed the back of his head. "Forgive me, my love, for putting you through my anger."

"You need help." Kastor said not turning.

"I did get help, Jeff, when I was young, but the anger came back when I lost you," Sky Dancer replied, closing her eyes tightly. "But I will get more help, if you are part of that help."

"How can I be part of that help when I'm the problem," he said, his voice sounded dull.

Sky Dancer cringed from his words. "I'm always scared of losing you, Jeff. Every time I see you in one of the Strikers, I keep thinking the plane will go down again. It scares me. That is why I found it easier to be sure you are safe."

"I'm not a china doll," he retorted.

"I-I know," Sky Dancer replied. "Maybe it's time for me to let you go. I love you too much to keep this between us. I have to put more faith in you."

"Let me go? _Let me go!_" Kastor said, jumping up from the bed. "So you want out of this marriage, huh?"

"No!" Sky Dancer immediately cried out, finding her heart pulsing madly in her chest. "I don't want out of this marriage! I'll stay with you till death do us part, even longer!" She slowly stood up from the bed, gazing at him, right into his crystal eyes. "I meant by me not being behind your shoulder constantly like a mother hen, being there to make sure you don't fall."

Kastor ran a hand over his face and sighed. "I don't need another mother Reena. I've already got one. What I need is a wife, an equal, not someone to boss me around."

"I always loved taking care of you, Jeff," Sky Dancer replied softly. "I always wanted to be needed." She sat down on the bed, feeling her stomach lurch again from his words, still petrified of losing him. "But I guess I made everything wrong. I probably am the worst wife on the planet. My mother was a good wife, your mother too, but I think I failed that task."

"You are not the worst wife in the world, cause everything you did, you did from the heart," he told her as he caressed her cheek.

"And I will do everything again, Jeff, including washing your cute butt in the shower, but without having your father walk in on us," Sky Dancer replied sincerely. "But Jeff, as a wife, I'm pleaded you to let me in." She looked up at him. "I know you still have problems with your memory, I can see that sometimes, the way you look, and I know something is bothering you and its because of the babies. Talk to me, let me in."

"It's nothing, Reena," Kastor said softly.

Sky Dancer stood up from the bed, touching his arm gently with her hand. "I want to know. I want to help you through this, like you help me with my shadows. As an wife, as an equal, I want to know your darkest shadow and I will help you destroy it."

He turned away. "Before you joined the team, we went to a small village to free it from Cobra's clutches and there a lady put her baby in my arms begging for help but before I could do anything the baby died in my arms."

Sky Dancer's heart leaped to her throat. Her heart teared for him and what his shadowed memory had recreated like hers had done. From behind him, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. She placed her head against his muscular back. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Jeff, and I hope you never have to endure anything like that again." His buried secret from the past. No wonder he rarely held the twins.

He tensed for a second then relaxed in her embrace. "Every time I hold one of them or they even get a little to close all I can see is that baby.

"You need help," Sky Dancer said, holding him tighter, mimicking his own words. "And I will be there to help you."

"I don't need help. I'll be fine," Kastor told her.

She dropped her hands, letting go of her embrace. "Will you?" she generally asked, "Will you be fine the next time you hold either Caitlin or Devon? Will you be fine when...when you have to hold our baby?" She walked to the window, and looked out, not looking at him. Why did he always have to be stubborn? Why did he have to be as stubborn as she?

He sighed and walked over to her and stood right behind her. "I was getting help, Imzadi."

"I wish you could had told me," she said, looking out at the snow covered land. "But I guess, I did the same to you, not letting you know the demons inside me."

"I tried talking to Psyche Out when I got back but..."

Sky Dancer turned around, watching his eyes. She gently touched his arm. "But what?" she asked softly, her voice filled with concern.

"But I felt so stupid cause I couldn't remember some of the details," he bowed his head.

"Maybe this time, it's good that you can't remember everything, maybe it will had been worse if you had remembered everything," she replied. "But don't you dare feel ashamed for not remembering. I don't care if you can't remember our first date, or first kiss, or even the time you threw me in Beach Head's office with my robe!" She stepped closer to him, her eyes locking with his. "And you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I will be there to remember for you." She smiled at him, her brown eyes starting to show that special sparkle of their kindling love.

Instead of saying anything he pulled her into a tight hug.

She closed her eyes, feeling his arms, even the cast, holding her like he used to do. A sigh escaped from her lips, and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. "What am I going to do without you, Hauser?" she asked playfully. But then she looked up at his features, reaching to his cheek and gently rubbing it with her hand. "I don't think my life would be complete without you in it."

He pulled her close again and kissed the top of her head. "Did I really push you in Beach Head's office with nothing but your robe on?"

Sky Dancer nodded. "Oh yes, you did. My thin pale pink one too! You should had seen his face! He yelled at the top of his lungs all the way to your Dad's office, dragging me along!"

Kastor chuckled, relishing in the feeling of her in his arms again. "I bet my Dad was furious."

"Actually, your father was speechless," Sky Dancer continued to explain. Blush came to her cheeks. "And he was not alone either. General Hawk, General Slaughter and Gung Ho were in the room too."

"Oh man," Kastor laughed.

"Well, my dear trickster of a husband, should I remind you what punishment you received?" Sky Dancer teased, holding him closer.

"Do I really want to know?" he groaned.

"You Jeffrey Hauser had to be Beach Head's personal assistant for a whole week," Sky Dancer chuckled. She leaned back her head and laughed.

"Wh...where's your locket?" he asked worriedly, thinking she took it off because of their fight.

Her body stiffened for a moment. "I didn't take it off because of us, Jeff," she explained as if reading his mind. "It broke during the Russian mission."

"Did you lose it?"

"No Jeff, it was ripped off my neck," she answered, looking into his concerned eyes. She touched his lips, closing them before he could respond. "Spades and I flew over several Cobra Hiss tanks, one of them shot Spades' Striker. He parachuted to safety, and I followed him down. He was about to climb in my Striker when we were ambushed and he was shot in the leg. I jumped out of my Striker, covering him when Vipers came from everywhere. One of them pulled on the locket and the chain broke. I thought it was the end." Her body shivered at the memory. "But your father and his ground troops came just at that second and started shooting at the Vipers. When it was over, and we were heading home, your father gave me the locket he found on the ground. It's in my jewelry box."

His hold seemed to tighten at the thought that he could have lost her. "I'm just glad you are all right."

"I'm glad your father found the locket, its part of you Jeff. I'll go insane if I ever lost it. It would be as if I lost you all over again," she said, tears starting to dance in her eyes.

"Oh Baby, please don't cry," he all but begged.

"I don't want to lose you, Jeff," Sky Dancer admitted. "Please, don't make me lose you." She buried her face in his chest.

He kissed the top of her head again and then squeezed. "Imzadi, I'm not going anywhere."

"I love you," she managed to choke out from the tears, taking his free hand and placing it on her stomach. "We both do."

"And I love you," he said, then whispered. "Both of you."

"It could be more then both you know," she teased, then added, "What do you want a boy or girl?"

"I don't care as long as there are no problems for either of you."

"Well, I'm going to tell you what I want. I hope it's going to be a boy, and will look and act just like his father," she said smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh God! Then we will really be in trouble," he teased.

Sky Dancer laughed heartily. "But I'm sure one Grand-" She stopped talking, her eyes growing large. She had almost said Grandfather, a prang of loss for her parents ran through her heart, realizing for the first time that they would never meet their grandchild having suffered their tragic fate from Cobra. Her child, her children will know one Grandfather, not two.

"Reena, what's wrong?" Kastor asked worriedly.

Tears raced down her cheeks, her body starting to tremble. She buried her head once again in his chest, sobbing. "I miss them," she admitted, feeling a wave of dizziness surround her.

He picked her up and carried her to the bed and gently laid her down. "I know you do."

She pulled on his arm, making him sit down close to her. "I will make sure our children know everything about them," she said softly. She looked at him in his eyes.

Kastor was about to say something when Jaye came in with a food tray in her hands. "Now I want you both to eat."

"I am hungry," Sky Dancer agreed, winking at her husband. "Don't you love it when she bosses us around?"

"No, reminds me to much of my mother," he quibbled as Jaye put the tray down.

"Mom failed her mission before, she even threatened me with no baby holding until I ate," Sky Dancer explained, feeling her stomach rumble now from the smell of food near her nose. She squeezed his hand. "You need to eat too, they told me you didn't eat."

"All right, all right. I'll eat," Kastor said, grinning.

"Now you two eat everything that is on that tray or you will be in big trouble," Jaye told them sternly.

"I guess we must obey. A Joe order is a Joe order," Sky Dancer smiled. "Thanks, Allie." She took a piece of toast and handed to her husband. "Eat, that is a wife's command."

Jaye cupped the younger woman's cheek. "Anytime, sweetie." She turned to Kastor. "I'm glad this fighting is over."

"Me too," he said, through a mouthful of toast.

"Me three, actually four..." Sky Dancer grinned wider, adding herself and the baby growing inside her stomach. "Or five..." She winked at Jaye. "Could be six..."

"Oh, please, no," Kastor said worriedly.

Jaye chuckled, and slowly sneaked out of the room, leaving the couple alone.

"Scared, Hauser?" Sky Dancer teased, leaning over and kissing him softly on the lips. She leaned against his chest, sighing contently, already wanting to hold the special bundle of joy in her arms. They feed each other the rest of the enormous breakfast while several times were interrupted by either Scarlett or Jaye, making sure they had both left nothing but crumbs. And in his arms, feeling his head against hers, they both fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 9

During the middle of an uneventful night, Colleen slowly opened her eyes, and she stretched her arm toward her husband's side, only to find nothing there. She sat up, looking around the darkened room. "Cay?" she whispered, hoping she had not kicked him out of bed, and he had slept on the floor, again. Ever since she had been pregnant with the twins, her dreams of martial arts matches caused real injuries to one Cayden Daniel Faireborn. A yawn escaped as she reached for her robe and slid out of the warm blankets. Putting on her bunny slippers, she headed out of her room and toward the nursery. She didn't need a cry to inwardly know that the twins needed her.

Walking into the nursery, she went straight to the twins crib. She switched on the small lamp on the small table next to the crib. "Hey pumpkins," she whispered and then her heart jumped to her throat, spotting only one twin in the crib. Devon was sleeping peacefully, but where was Caitlin? Her heart pounded, ready to cry out her husband's name at full blast, when from the corner of her eye, she spotted Cayden sleeping in the rocking chair with the missing child in his hands.

Her eyes turned soft watching the pair who were both sleeping peacefully. She walked over to the chair, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Caveman," she spoke gently.

Cayden woke and looked at her. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I woke and couldn't find you. Is something wrong with Caitlin?" she asked, looking down at her sleeping daughter.

"She was just a little fussy," Cayden answered her as he too looked down at his sleeping daughter.

"I guess she missed her father," Colleen replied, running her fingers threw his dark brown hair.

He smiled up at her. "I feel like I haven't been with them hardly at all during this vacation."

"I know," she agreed with him. "You're hardly been with them when we are at the base too." She sat on the rocker's arm, leaning against him, and her hand touched Caitlin's pink blanket. "They do miss you, we all do."

"I'm trying," he said softly.

"I know." She kissed the side of his head. "And I know how much you love being a Joe doctor."

"That doesn't mean that I don't love you guys as well," he said as he gently patted the infant's back.

"That's not what I meant, Cayden," Colleen replied, standing up and walking over to the crib. "I know you love us. But your heart is big, there's plenty of room for many things. The girls and myself, and who knows, maybe more." She reached into the crib, stroking Devon's soft curls.

Cayden got up and walked over and placed Caitlin in the crib. Then kissed Colleen's cheek.

Colleen slightly grinned at him. "What? I only get a small peck on the cheek?"

In response he pulled her to him and kissed her lovingly on the lips.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tighter, deepening the kiss. She felt time hold still for a moment, feeling him and only his love. Their lips slowly parted and she gazed into his eyes. "Wow, you haven't kissed me like that for a long time."

"We haven't really had alone time in a long time," he pointed out.

"I know," she agreed. "Even if our mothers have the twins for a short time. We still wind up not alone if Jeff and Reena come or Sammy and Mike. Or Doc calls you in for an emergency." She let out an aggravated sigh, leaning her head against his chest.

"I'm sorry, Bunny. I'll turn off my pager more often," he told her as he held her close.

Colleen looked up at his tired features. "No Cay, keep the pager on. I know you need to be there. I understand, really." Her eyes turned to concern. "I just wish you weren't tired all the time."

"I'll start taking some vitamins."

"Vitamins won't help Cayden! You need rest!" Colleen pointed out, a little sharper than she attended. He looked withering. "Why do you think your father brought us here? It's showing and he knows it. But since we did arrive here, you haven't rested, have you?"

"I've tried, Colleen," he said in frustration.

"I know you did, but things happened here and you were needed," Colleen replied. "Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you were able to help. Especially with Reena's condition now." She wrapped one of her arms around his waist and looked down at their children. A sneeze escaped. "Drats," she muttered.

"Colleen..." Cayden said and felt her head.

"Please don't tell me I caught my father's and Reena's colds," Colleen pleaded. She couldn't get sick now. The kids needed her and he needed her. She hated getting sick.

"You're running a fever," Cayden told her.

"Bloody Blazes!" Colleen cursed. "Why don't I feel sick though?" She shook her head, then her eyes widened. "The girls! I can't get the girls sick. Devon doesn't do well when she's sick and Caitlin cries all the time." She took several steps backward away from the crib with fear embroidered in her face. "I can't be with the girls."

"Bunny, just go back to bed. I'll take care of the girls," Cayden told her gently.

Colleen wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. "I can wake up my mom, if you want?" she suggested.

The door to the nursery burst opened and a white faced Sky Dancer rushed in, breathing hard, her eyes larger than they had ever seen them. She clutched on the knob, holding on, barely keeping her balance.

Cayden rushed over to her and grabbed her before she could fall. "Reena, what's the matter?"

"G-g-host!" Sky Dancer stuttered, her face turning paler.

Colleen's eyes widened. "The ghost!" She looked at her husband then back to her sister-in-law.

"She's in my room, moaning and crying out my name," Sky Dancer explained. "Jeffrey is still sleeping, he wouldn't wake."

"My brother rarely wakes when he's in dreamland." Colleen shook her head, another sneeze escaped.

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this," Cayden decreed. He left the nursery heading for Sky Dancer's room.

Sky Dancer and Colleen looked at each other before following the Joe medic. They entered the room, but only heard snoring coming from the bed.

"I heard the moaning coming from there," Sky Dancer said, pointing to the wall where a picture of a woman with dark hair had been hung. She walked over to the bed, and gently shook her husband to wake him. "Jeff... wake up."

"Emaoughingoot," Kastor said in his sleep.

Cayden shook his head. "Well I don't hear anything now. You can go back to sleep."

"No, someone was moaning! She said my name," Sky Dancer insisted.

Just then a piercing scream came from the hallway, making all three of them jump from its impact.

"Rowan!" Colleen shouted at the top of her lungs, making Jeffrey roll over from the bed and fall down on the floor.

Kastor was quickly up and running out into the hallway to see what was the matter with his little sister with Cayden right behind him.

Sky Dancer and Colleen raced after them, hurrying into the hallway.

Doors opened and Scarlett pulling Duke came out just when another scream came from the alcove.

Duke rushed over to the ladder leading up to the alcove. "Pumpkin!"

"Daddy!" Rowan screamed from the bed, holding her puppy tightly in her arms.

Scarlett followed her husband, her heart beating loudly in her chest. "Rowan! What's wrong?"

Rowan jumped from the bed, seeing her father walk up the ladder and rushed to his arms. "Don't let it hurt me!"

"Don't let what hurt you?" Duke asked as he held on to his terrified little girl.

"The ghost!" Rowan sobbed tightly in his arms.

Sky Dancer's eyes widened with fear and a shiver went down her spine. Rowan had heard the ghost too!

"What's going on?" Flint asked, climbing up the ladder to the loft. "I heard screaming."

"Rowan said she heard a ghost," Duke said still trying to console the little girl.

"What!" Flint exclaimed skeptical. "Honey, there are no ghosts here, trust me."

"Hear that, Rowan, no ghosts," Scarlett soothed her little girl, stroking her hair.

"No! There's too a ghost! I heard it! Reenie heard too!" Rowan insisted, continuing to cling on Duke.

"Reena, is that true?" Duke hollered down the stairs.

Kastor pulled his wife close as Cayden went up the stairs to make sure the little girl was all right.

"Yes!" Sky Dancer called up, looking at her father-in-law. "I've heard her three times and I've seen her twice!"

Colleen glanced from her father to her best friend. "But why haven't any of us seen or heard the ghost?"

"I-I don't know, maybe she only wanted to talk to me or Rowan?" Sky Dancer suggested.

"But there's no ghost here!" Flint stated, then glanced around the loft. "Where's Eryn?"

Cayden pulled back the cover's on Eryn's bed. "She's not here." He looked around the room. "Eryn!"

"Eryn!" Flint shouted, rushing to the ladder. "Eryn!"

"We have to find her!" Scarlett said, taking Rowan's hand in hers. "Rowan, did you see Eryn going to the bathroom?"

"No, Mom," Rowan answered, leaving her mother's hand and going to her father, taking his with her own trembling one. "She was asleep when I last saw her."

"Maybe she went downstairs?" Colleen suggested, watching her parents, Flint, Cayden and Rowan climb down the ladder.

Flint nodded. "Conrad, you and Shana with Rowan check the kitchen. Cayden, Colly, check the living room and family room. Jeff, you and Reena check the bedrooms. And I'll get Allie." He looked around at all the nodding heads.

They all dispersed, heading to their assignments when Sky Dancer's sharp scream from her bedroom sent everyone flying toward the room at top speed.

"Reena?" Kastor asked worriedly.

Scarlett went to walk toward her daughter-in-law and say something when Sky Dancer put her finger to her mouth to silence them. "Listen," she mouthed.

They all looked at each other, now thinking the pilot had lost her mind, but they waited, listening for any sound in the room.

"Ooohhhhhhh..." came the moan within the room.

"What the hell?" Flint asked, glancing around.

Duke walked over toward the wall and listened.

"OOOOhhhh!" came from behind the wall, the cry echoing louder.

"Con?" Scarlett whispered, began slowly walking toward her husband but felt a tug from a frightened eight-year-old. She stopped, placed an assuring hand around her youngest daughter's shoulder and held her closer.

Duke looked at Flint and pointed to that spot on the wall.

Flint frowned and then quickly left the room, leaving the others flabbergasted.

"Where is he going?" Colleen asked, leaning against her husband and another sneeze escaped.

Scarlett glanced to her daughter. "You too?"

Colleen nodded. "Got Dad's and Dance's germs."

"Sorry, about that," Sky Dancer murmured, sitting on the bed.

Colleen smiled at her friend. "No pro-"

"AHA!" Flint's loud voice came from behind the wall, making them all jump. "Well, I know now what you are doing here!"

Scarlett raised her eyebrows.

"Is he talking to the ghost?" Sky Dancer asked puzzled, feeling the room spin from thinking about it.

"I think he caught our little culprit," Duke said.

Cayden gently rubbed his wife's arm as he held her as Kastor walked over to his wife.

Flint's voice came from behind the wall. "Come on, you need to show yourself to the people you scared. You are so grounded by the way."

Rowan looked to her father. "He can punish a ghost?" she asked with awe, her blue green eyes wide and illusive.

"When it's not really a ghost," Duke replied.

Rowan looked at him puzzled. "Say what?" she asked, making the rest of them chuckle at her little face.

Sounds came heard from behind the wall. "Move it," came the command. In moments Flint re-entered the bedroom. He looked behind his shoulder. "Show yourself, Ghost. You have two apologizes to say." He crossed his arms, shaking his head in disappointment.

Sky Dancer looked from Flint to the doorway, to her husband to Flint.

Rowan huddled as close as she could to her father, holding him very tightly.

Colleen let out a series of sneezes. "Bless me."

Eryn walked in with her head bowed but said nothing.

"Now this makes a little more sense," Cayden whispered.

"Eryn is the ghost?" Sky Dancer said dumbfounded.

Flint nodded. "Apparently so."

Rowan looked to her best friend, her eyes turning hurtful. "Why did you scare us?" she asked in a tiny voice, her hand still in her father's.

"I can't sweep," Eryn admitted softly.

"So because you can't sleep, you decided to scare people?" Flint asked, kneeling down to his daughter's eye level. "Why didn't you just come to me? Or your Mom?"

"I twy. You neber wake up and Mommy no there," Eryn explained.

Flint looked at his daughter confused. "What do you mean, Mommy is not there. When I wake, she's always there." He placed a supportive arm on Eryn's shoulder.

"I go in your woom and she not in bed. I fink she no sweep eider," Eryn told him.

Scarlett frowned looking at the little girl, then glanced to her husband who also looked perplexed at the current events.

"Honey, she probably went to the potty when you come," Flint explained, wrapping his arms around his daughter and holding her close.

"That-that.. ACHOO!" Colleen sneezed loudly enough to wake the dead.

"That's it, you need to go to bed," Cayden told his wife.

Scarlett's frown deepened. "Colleen, go to bed, I'll make you some tea." She then glanced to Sky Dancer. "Make that two teas."

Rowan leaned against her father. "Can I have some tea too?" she requested.

"All right, three teas." Scarlett stated, looking about her.

"I'll come downstairs for tea," Colleen said, letting out another high-pitched sneeze.

Kastor started to usher his wife toward the stairs.

"Daddy, can I have some tea?" Eryn asked, still looking down.

Cayden hugged his wife.

Duke smiled at his little girl.

"Sure," Flint said, following Duke and Rowan out of the room, holding Eryn by the hand. "It may help with your sleeping." He bent down and picked her up.

"ACHOO!" Colleen sneezed, holding her husband's arm. "I hate getting sick," she mumbled.

Scarlett shook her head, following the couple of the room. They all headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. She flicked on the lights and all of their jaws must had dropped at the same moment as surprised gasps escaped from all around the room. The kitchen once again had become a disaster though this time the culprit was standing in the middle, wearing a white robe and creating a six foot tall peanut butter and jelly sandwich mountain!

"ALLIE!" came the chorus from all of them, still stunned to see Lady Jaye in her robe, playing with the food. What in the world?

Flint lowered Eryn to the ground. "Shana, take Eryn," he requested as he walked over to his wife. "Allie? What are you doing?" Nothing, no reply came to his question while Jaye continued to build the massive sandwich tower.

"I hope that is not breakfast," Sky Dancer murmured, resting her hand to her stomach, already getting a sick feeling inside.

"She's sleeping!" Rowan pointed out to Jaye, who had her eyes still closed.

Flint frowned in concern. "Allie?" he tried again, knowing waking a sleepwalker had to be done delicately.

"Eryn and Cay Cay like peanut butter," Jaye said in her sleep.

"Uh, yes they do," Flint replied to his wife, unsure what to do. He looked to his son. "Cayden? Got any ideas how to wake her?"

"Ummm...Cayden said watching his mother in shock. "Kiss her, but you better catch her first." Jaye had walked toward the door and was about to open it to go outside.

"Allie!" Flint exclaimed, rushing over to her side and took her hand with his, guiding her to the table. He gently sat her in a chair and patted her cheek. "Allie, wake up."

Quicker than anyone could see she stood up and flipped her husband over her and sent him down on his back on the floor then she took off yelling "YO JOE!"

Scarlett's eyes widened. "Reena, take Colleen and the girls upstairs, lock yourselves in the nursery!" she ordered.

Sky Dancer nodded. "Let's go." She grabbed Rowan's hand while Scarlett handed Eryn to Colleen. They rushed out of the kitchen, heading up the stairs.

Flint groaned from the floor before jumping to his feet. He started after his wife who was heading for the living room. "Cayden, Jeff, Con, we have to stop her!" he called out to the men, ducking from an incoming book missile.

"Jeff, go get your camcorder," Cayden said.

"I've already got it," Kastor grabbed it from the kitchen counter.

"Shana, go make sure the girls and the twins are all right," Duke told his wife.

"Die, Snake Scum!" Jaye yelled throwing a pillow at them.

Scarlett ducked from an incoming vase, missing her side by an inch and rushed up the stairs for the nursery.

Flint slowly started walking closer to his wife. "Allie! Wake up! It's Dash!"

"Shut up, Synthoid!" She threw a candleholder at him.

"She lost it!" Flint stated, getting hit in the head with the candleholder. "Cayden, we got to wake her!" He slowly walked over to the chairs and grabbed one of the throws.

Duke went and stood by the door so she couldn't go outside in the blistering cold as Kastor filmed it all.

Cayden walked over toward the other side of his mother so he and Flint could trap her.

"Ready?" Flint called to his son, raising the blanket, ready to cover his wife.

"Ready!" Cayden called out then quickly turned his mother to face him.

Jaye was about to strike out.

Flint went to cover his wife with the blanket when she pivoted and punched him in the jaw, sending him to the floor with a thud. A moan escaped, feeling the second blow come. "Ow!"

"Allie, look what happened to Brutus!" Scarlett cried out from the staircase holding the infamous bear in her hand who was wearing toilet paper around his body. Her dark blue eyes widened, watching her best friend glance from Flint to the redhead and then start to shake her head. It was working! Jaye was waking!

Suddenly, Jaye started to collapse to the floor.

Cayden caught her. "That's it Mom, wake up."

"Allie?" Flint crawled over and placed her head on his lap gently. He patted her cheek. "Come on, Allie, wake up."

Duke went over to his wife. "Good thinking."

Slowly, as if in slow motion, Jaye's eyes began to flutter open.

Flint smiled down at his wife's features. "Hey there, crazy Scottish woman."

"What am I doing down here and why is your chin all red?" Jaye asked sleepily.

"You've been sleepwalking," Flint said to her softly, stroking her short hair.

"No, I wasn't," she argued.

"Darling, yes you were," Flint replied, looking from his wife to his son.

Scarlett nodded in agreement. "Allie, you were sleepwalking, we all saw it. It was you who made the disasters in the kitchen."

"Then how come I don't remember it?" Jaye asked.

"Honey, not many people recall what they do when they sleepwalk," Flint explained to his wife. "I bet it's all the stress you've been having lately. I know you wanted to start back into covert operations." He took a deep breath and let it out. "I wanted to tell you this next week, but I'll do it now. Lady Jaye as of next week, you'll be back working for G. I. Joe, Covert Ops." He grinned while adding, "Office work only."

Jaye smiled at this.

"And I can't wait to get this tape back to base," Kastor said with a smirk.

"Kastor, I give you permission to do that, but will also tell you the long lengthily punishment that will go with that tape," Flint smiled at his godson. "Starting with cleaning Beach Head's office."

Everyone laughed at the young sergeant's expense.

"Is everything all right?" Colleen asked from top of the stairs, Sky Dancer by her side. Both women looked extremely worried.

"Yeah honey, Aunt Allie is awake now," Duke told them with a smile.

Both Colleen and Sky Dancer came downstairs.

"Eryn and Rowan fell asleep," Colleen said to her mother, then sneezed.

"And the twins are both fine," Sky Dancer added, then yawned.

"All right everyone back to bed," Scarlett ordered, looking around.

Jaye stood up and looked around surprised to see the mess.

Kastor grumbled something about wasting the tape.

Cayden went over to his wife.

Duke wrapped his arm around his wife's waist.

Sky Dancer giggled at her husband's features. "Well, looks like that tape won't make it to Breaker's Video Emporium!" she stated. Her hand traveled to her head, feeling another spell rushing through her body and sent her bumping into her father-in-law. "Sorry, sir," she apologized.

Duke steadied her with his free hand. "Dad. Call me Dad."

Scarlett smiled at her husband, squeezing his hand.

Sky Dancer slowly nodded, a smile brightening her face. "Sorry, Dad."

Flint blew his nose. "Oh, ain't that sweet!" he teased.

Kastor beamed.

"Achoo!" Colleen sneezed, holding on to the banister.

Scarlett shook her head. "Forget going to bed, everyone to the kitchen for tea! And to clean up!" They all groaned, heading for the kitchen. She turned around, noticing the two little girls looking from in between the banister staircase and motioned them to follow the group.

Rowan and Eryn ran down the stairs, hugged the redhead and raced into the kitchen before the adults.

"Well, we finally nabbed both ghosts," Flint said to the others while he started to take out the tea bags.

Eyebrows were raised and they all stared at the warrant officer dumbfounded.

"Eryn?" Jaye inquired.

"Yes, Eryn was part of the ghost, the other part was Allie." Flint pointed to his wife's white robe.

Sky Dancer's eyes widened, realizing that it was Jaye who walked across the window and in the hallway and not a specter. Her mouth opened and a gasp escaped.

"See, I told you guys there were no ghosts here," Cayden stated.

"Allie was probably sleepwalking," Flint continued to explain.

They all nodded in agreement when a bump came from above their heads. They all glanced up at the ceiling then at the warrant officer who cleared his throat. "I'm not explaining that one."


End file.
